Method, apparatus, and computer program product for facilitating promotions with an E-wallet

• US 8,788,333 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Alba, Jose A., Grossman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US13/032,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 235/458, 705/1.294
• US Class Current: 705/14.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions

Abstract

An electronic wallet platform obtains, from a check-out web page of a merchant, (i) a unique identification of a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from the merchant in an on-line transaction, and (ii) associated transaction data. The electronic wallet platform supplies, to a transaction qualification service, the unique identification of the given consumer; and retrieves, from a consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one useful token is stored in association with the unique identification of the given consumer. The transaction qualification service determines, based on rules from an offers registry database, whether the at least one useful token is applicable to the on-line transaction. The rules are stored in the offers registry database in association with the at least one useful token, and the rules take into account at least one of the unique identification of the given consumer and the associated transaction data in determining the applicability. If, based on the determining step, the at least one useful token is applicable to the on-line transaction, a further step includes providing the at least one useful token to the merchant, using the transaction qualification service and the electronic wallet platform. The at least one useful token is provided to the merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for the on-line transaction.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, by an operator of a payment card network of a kind wherein said operator comprises a single operator which facilitates transactions between multiple issuers and multiple acquirers, using an electronic wallet platform, from a check-out web page of a merchant;

an indication that a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from said merchant in an on-line transaction, wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform to pay for said on-line transaction,

a unique identification of said given consumer, and

associated transaction data;

wherein said electronic wallet platform comprises an electronic wallet platform module executing on a server of said payment card network operator, said electronic wallet platform storing information for a plurality of payment card accounts from which said given consumer can choose to pay for said on-line transaction;

supplying, by said operator of said payment card network using said electronic wallet platform, to a transaction qualification service, said unique identification of said given consumer;

retrieving, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, from a consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one promotion code is stored in association with said unique identification of said given consumer;

determining, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, based on rules from an offers registry database, whether said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said rules being stored in said offers registry database in association with said at least one promotion code, said rules taking into account at least one of said unique identification of said given consumer and said associated transaction data in determining said applicability; and

if, based on said determining step, said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, providing said at least promotion code to said merchant, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service and said electronic wallet platform, said at least one promotion code being provided to said merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code comprising an alphanumeric character sequence that is not visible to said given consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

subsequent to receiving said promotion code, said merchant revising a monetary amount associated with said on-line transaction, in accordance with said promotion code; and

subsequent to said merchant revising said monetary amount associated with said on-line transaction, said merchant initiating said payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, based on said revised monetary amount.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said determining step, said rules take into account said associated transaction data, said associated transaction data comprising an identifying indicia of said at least one item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said determining step, said rules take into account said unique identification of said given consumer, by accessing said given consumer'"'"'s transaction history based on said unique identification of said given consumer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising said merchant reporting an outcome of said on-line transaction to at least one of said electronic wallet platform and said transaction qualification service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting said given consumer to select said electronic wallet platform from said check-out web page, wherein said indication that said given consumer wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform is obtained in response to said prompting.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising said operator of said payment card network targeting said plurality of consumers in connection with an offer associated with said promotion code.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating said offers registry database.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically enrolling said plurality of consumers in said consumer enrollment database.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing an offer associated with said promotion code to at least said plurality of consumers; and

accepting enrollment of said plurality of consumers, in said consumer enrollment database, in response to said offer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

populating said offers registry database;

said operator of said payment card network targeting said plurality of consumers in connection with an offer associated with said promotion code;

enrolling said plurality of consumers in said consumer enrollment database;

prompting said given consumer to select said electronic wallet platform from said check-out web page, wherein said indication that said given consumer wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform is obtained in response to said prompting;

subsequent to receiving said promotion code, said merchant revising a monetary amount associated with said on-line transaction;

subsequent to said merchant revising said monetary amount associated with said on-line transaction, said merchant initiating said payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, based on said revised monetary amount; and

said merchant reporting an outcome of said on-line transaction to at least one of said electronic wallet platform and said transaction qualification service.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a system, wherein said system comprises distinct software modules, each of said distinct software modules being embodied on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable recordable storage medium, and wherein said distinct software modules comprise an electronic wallet platform module, a transaction qualification service module, a consumer enrollment database module, and an offers registry database module;

wherein;

said obtaining and said supplying are carried out by said electronic wallet platform module executing on at least a first hardware processor;

said retrieving is carried out by said transaction qualification service module, executing on said at least first hardware processor, interacting with said consumer enrollment database module executing on said at least first hardware processor;

said determining is carried out by said transaction qualification service module, executing on said at least first hardware processor, interacting with said offers registry database module executing on said at least first hardware processor; and

said providing is carried out by said transaction qualification service module and said electronic wallet platform module executing on said at least first hardware processor.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, by an operator of a payment card network of a kind wherein said operator comprises a single operator which facilitates transactions between multiple issuers and multiple acquirers, using an electronic wallet platform, from a check-out web page of a merchant;

an indication that a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from said merchant in an on-line transaction, wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform to pay for said on-line transaction,

a unique identification of said given consumer, and

associated transaction data;

wherein said electronic wallet platform comprises an electronic wallet platform module executing on a server of said payment card network operator, said electronic wallet platform storing information for a plurality of payment card accounts from which said given consumer can choose to pay for said on-line transaction;

means for supplying, by said operator of said payment card network using said electronic wallet platform, to a transaction qualification service, said unique identification of said given consumer;

means for retrieving, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, from a consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one useful token promotion code is stored in association with said unique identification of said given consumer;

means for determining, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, based on rules from an offers registry database, whether said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said rules being stored in said offers registry database in association with said at least one promotion code, said rules taking into account at least one of said unique identification of said given consumer and said associated transaction data in determining said applicability; and

means for, if, based on said determining step, said at least promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, providing said at least one promotion code to said merchant, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service and said electronic wallet platform, said at least one promotion code being provided to said merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code comprising an alphanumeric character sequence that is not visible to said given consumer;

wherein said apparatus excludes a transmission medium and disembodied signal.

14. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable recordable storage medium including computer usable program code, said computer program product including:

computer usable program code for obtaining, by an operator of a payment card network of a kind wherein said operator comprises a single operator which facilitates transactions between multiple issuers and multiple acquirers, using an electronic wallet platform, from a check-out web page of a merchant;

an indication that a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from said merchant in an on-line transaction, wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform to pay for said on-line transaction,

a unique identification of said given consumer, and

associated transaction data;

wherein said electronic wallet platform comprises an electronic wallet platform module executing on a server of said payment card network operator, said electronic wallet platform storing information for a plurality of payment card accounts from which said given consumer can choose to pay for said on-line transaction;

computer usable program code for supplying, by said operator of said payment card network using said electronic wallet platform, to a transaction qualification service, said unique identification of said given consumer;

computer usable program code for retrieving, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, from a consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one promotion code is stored in association with said unique identification of said given consumer;

computer usable program code for determining, by said operator of said payment card network using said transaction qualification service, based on rules from an offers registry database, whether said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said rules being stored in said offers registry database in association with said at least one promotion code, said rules taking into account at least one of said unique identification of said given consumer and said associated transaction data in determining said applicability; and

computer usable program code for, if, based on said determining step, said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, providing said at least one promotion code to said merchant, using said transaction qualification service and said electronic wallet platform, said at least one promotion code being provided to said merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code comprising an alphanumeric character sequence that is not visible to said given consumer.

15. A system comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

a memory coupled to said at least one hardware processor, said memory including instructions which when executed by said at least one processor cause said at least one processor to implement an electronic wallet platform, a transaction qualification service, a consumer enrollment database, and an offers registry database;

said electronic wallet platform being operated by an operator of a payment card network and configured to obtain, from a check-out web page of a merchant;

an indication that a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from said merchant in an on-line transaction, wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform to pay for said on-line transaction,

a unique identification of said given consumer, and

associated transaction data;

wherein said payment card network is of a kind wherein said operator comprises a single operator which facilitates transactions between multiple issuers and multiple acquirers, said electronic wallet platform storing information for a plurality of payment card accounts from which said given consumer can choose to pay for said on-line transaction;

said transaction qualification service being operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said electronic wallet platform, said electronic wallet platform being further configured to supply, to said transaction qualification service, said unique identification of said given consumer;

said consumer enrollment database being operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said transaction qualification service, said transaction qualification service being further configured to retrieve, from said consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one promotion code is stored in association with said unique identification of said given consumer; and

said offers registry database being operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said transaction qualification service, said transaction qualification service being further configured to determine, based on rules from said offers registry database, whether said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said rules being stored in said offers registry database in association with said at least one promotion code, said rules taking into account at least one of said unique identification of said given consumer and said associated transaction data in determining said applicability;

said transaction qualification service and said electronic wallet platform being further configured to provide said at least one promotion code to said merchant, if, based on said determining, said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code being provided to said merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code comprising an alphanumeric character sequence that is not visible to said given consumer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein, in said determining by said transaction qualification service, said rules from said offers registry database take into account said associated transaction data, said associated transaction data comprising an identifying indicia of said at least one item.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein, in said determining by said transaction qualification service, said rules from said offers registry database take into account said unique identification of said given consumer, by said transaction qualification service accessing said given consumer'"'"'s transaction history based on said unique identification of said given consumer.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of said electronic wallet platform and said transaction qualification service is further configured to receive from said merchant a report of an outcome of said on-line transaction.

19. A system comprising:

an electronic wallet platform operated by an operator of a payment card network and configured to obtain, from a check-out web page of a merchant;

an indication that a given consumer, of a plurality of consumers, who is purchasing at least one item from said merchant in an on-line transaction, wishes to utilize said electronic wallet platform to pay for said on-line transaction,

a unique identification of said given consumer, and

associated transaction data;

wherein said electronic wallet platform comprises an electronic wallet platform software module executing on a server of said payment card network operator and wherein said payment card network is of a kind wherein said operator comprises a single operator which facilitates transactions between multiple issuers and multiple acquirers, said electronic wallet platform storing information for a plurality of payment card accounts from which said given consumer can choose to pay for said on-line transaction;

a transaction qualification service operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said electronic wallet platform, said electronic wallet platform being further configured to supply, to said transaction qualification service, said unique identification of said given consumer;

a consumer enrollment database operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said transaction qualification service, said transaction qualification service being further configured to retrieve, from said consumer enrollment database, a record wherein at least one promotion code is stored in association with said unique identification of said given consumer; and

an offers registry database operated by said operator of said payment card network and in data communication with said transaction qualification service, said transaction qualification service being further configured to determine, based on rules from said offers registry database, whether said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said rules being stored in said offers registry database in association with said at least one promotion code, said rules taking into account at least one of said unique identification of said given consumer and said associated transaction data in determining said applicability;

said transaction qualification service and said electronic wallet platform being further configured to provide said at least one promotion code to said merchant, if, based on said determining, said at least one promotion code is applicable to said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code being provided to said merchant prior to payment card authorization, clearing, and settlement for said on-line transaction, said at least one promotion code comprising an alphanumeric character sequence that is not visible to said given consumer;

wherein;

said electronic wallet platform software module is embodied on an electronic wallet platform non-transitory tangible, computer-readable, recordable storage medium;

said electronic wallet platform comprises;

an electronic wallet platform memory;

said electronic wallet platform software module; and

at least one electronic wallet platform hardware processor of said server of said payment card network operator, operative to execute said electronic wallet platform software module when loaded into said electronic wallet platform memory;

said transaction qualification service comprises;

a transaction qualification service memory;

a transaction qualification service software module embodied on a transaction qualification service non-transitory tangible, computer-readable, recordable storage medium; and

at least one transaction qualification service hardware processor, operative to execute said transaction qualification service software module when loaded into said transaction qualification service memory;

said consumer enrollment database comprises;

a consumer enrollment database memory;

a consumer enrollment database platform software module embodied on a consumer enrollment database non-transitory tangible, computer-readable, recordable storage medium; and

at least one consumer enrollment database hardware processor, operative to execute said consumer enrollment database platform software module when loaded into said consumer enrollment database memory; and

said offers registry database comprises;

an offers registry database memory;

an offers registry database platform software module embodied on an offers registry database non-transitory tangible, computer-readable, recordable storage medium; and

at least one offers registry database hardware processor, operative to execute said offers registry database platform software module when loaded into said offers registry database memory.