Searching digital receipts at a mobile device

• US 8,909,620 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, THUY T
• Application Number:
  US13/633,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722, 707/768, 705/14.38, 705/14.64
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for searching digital receipts at a mobile device. A customer mobile device receives and stores one or more digital receipts. The one or more digital receipts correspond to transactions conducted with a merchant. A user can select search criteria for searching stored digital receipts. The search criteria can be applied to stored digital receipts. Any stored digital receipts that satisfy the search criteria can be returned for display. In some embodiments, search criteria are selected to search for digital receipts associated with a specified payment method, such as, for example, cash, check, credit card, debit card, gift card, etc. In other embodiments, search criteria are selected to search for digital receipts having a purchase date within a specified purchase date range.

Claims

1. A method of searching digital receipts, the method comprising:

storing, on a mobile computing device carried by a customer, a receipt database containing a plurality of digital receipts, each digital receipt thereof documenting a different transaction conducted by the customer;

conducting a first search of the receipt database while the receipt database is stored on the mobile computing device, the searching comprising;

receiving, by the mobile computing device from the customer, a digital receipt search request, the digital receipt search request including search criteria, the search criteria defining that digital receipts associated with a specified payment method satisfy the digital receipt search request;

accessing, by the mobile computing device, one or more digital receipts from the receipt database, each of the one of more digital receipts;

corresponding to a transaction at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system; and

indicating a payment method used during the transaction;

identifying, by the mobile computing device, at least one digital receipt, from among the one or more accessed digital receipts, that indicates the specified payment method was used during the corresponding transaction; and

returning, by the mobile computing device, the at least one digital receipt as satisfying the digital receipt search request;

presenting, by the mobile computing device, the at least one digital receipt to the customer via a display of the mobile computing device;

storing, by the mobile computing device, the search criteria; and

conducting, subsequent to the first search, a second search of the receipt database using the search criteria by default.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the digital receipt search request comprises receiving user input at one or more user interface controls presented on a user interface at the display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the presenting the at least one digital receipt at the display comprises presenting the at least one digital receipt on the user interface.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the digital receipt search request comprises receiving search criteria defining that digital receipts associated with cash payments satisfy the digital receipt search request.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the digital receipt search request comprises receiving search criteria defining that digital receipts associated with at least one of a credit card payment and a debit card payment satisfy the digital receipt search request.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the digital receipt search request comprises receiving search criteria defining that digital receipts associated with a gift card payment satisfy the digital receipt search request.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifying the at least one digital receipt comprises identifying at least one digital receipt that indicates cash was used as a payment method.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifying the at least one digital receipt comprises identifying at least one digital receipt that indicates at least one of a credit card and a debit card was used as a payment method.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifying the at least one digital receipt comprises identifying at least one digital receipt that indicates a gift card was used as a payment method.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the returning the at least one digital receipt comprises returning a plurality of digital receipts where one of the following was used as a payment method:

cash, check, credit card, debit card, and gift card.

11. A mobile computing device comprising:

a processor;

memory operably connected to the processor;

the memory storing a receipt database containing a plurality of digital receipts, each digital receipt thereof documenting a different transaction completed between a retailer and a proprietor of the mobile computing device; and

the memory further storing executables programmed to;

conduct a first search the receipt database, while the receipt database is stored on the mobile computing device, by

receiving, from the proprietor, a digital receipt search request, the digital receipt search request including search criteria, the search criteria defining that digital receipts associated with a specified payment method satisfy the digital receipt search request;

accessing one or more digital receipts from the receipt database, each of the one of more digital receipts;

corresponding to a transaction at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system; and

indicating a payment method used during the transaction;

identifying at least one digital receipt, from among the one or more accessed digital receipts, that indicates the specified payment method was used during the corresponding transaction; and

returning the at least one digital receipt as satisfying the digital receipt search request;

present the at least one digital receipt to the proprietor via a display of the mobile computing device;

store the search criteria; and

conduct, subsequent to the first search, a second search of the receipt database using the search criteria by default.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to receive the search criteria at one or more user interface controls presented on a user interface at the display.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 12, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to present the at least one digital receipt on the user interface.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to identify at least one digital receipt that used one of the following payment methods:

cash, check, credit card, debit card, and gift card.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the executables comprise a communication module configured to request and receive the plurality of digital receipts from a remote receipt data server.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the remote receipt data server is proprietary to the retailer.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the communication module is proprietary to the retailer.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein:

the receipt database and the communication module form part of an application installed on the mobile computing device; and

the application is proprietary to the retailer.