Systems and methods for use of transaction data for customers
First Claim
1. A method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer to assist the customer in decisioning, the method comprising;
- inputting transaction data, by a tangibly embodied processing system, regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants;
inputting, by the processing system, a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request;
performing processing, by the processing system, based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and
the processing including determining an indicator of transaction congestion at a physical store of each of the plurality of merchants, the indicator of transaction congestion based on the transaction data that was input and the request for information from the customer as such request for information relates to store transaction data; and
outputting, by the processing system, the response to the requesting customer, the response including the indicator of transaction congestion.
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Abstract
The invention provides a system and method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer so as to assist the customer in decisioning. The method may comprising inputting transaction data regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants; inputting a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; performing processing based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and outputting the response to the requesting customer. The request and processing may relate to identifying activities of similarly situated persons vis-à-vis the requesting customer, based on the transaction data. The request may relate to identifying an optimum merchant to secure purchase of a target item. Further, the request may relate to determining an optimum sequence in which to perform a plurality of desired activities. Various other features are described.
76 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer to assist the customer in decisioning, the method comprising;
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inputting transaction data, by a tangibly embodied processing system, regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants; inputting, by the processing system, a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; performing processing, by the processing system, based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and the processing including determining an indicator of transaction congestion at a physical store of each of the plurality of merchants, the indicator of transaction congestion based on the transaction data that was input and the request for information from the customer as such request for information relates to store transaction data; and outputting, by the processing system, the response to the requesting customer, the response including the indicator of transaction congestion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system the processes transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer to assist the customer in decisioning, the system comprising;
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a communications portion, in the form of a computer processor, that; inputs transaction data regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants; and each of the plurality of merchants constituted by a physical store in which persons effect transactions to generate store transaction data for that particular merchant, and the processing system, for each of the plurality of merchants, respectively inputting such store transaction data for that particular merchant, and the store transaction data, from the plurality of merchants, collectively constituting the transaction data; and inputs a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; and a processing portion, in the form of a computer processor, that; performs processing based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and
the processing portion outputting the response to the requesting customer through the communications portion; andthe processing including determining an indicator of transaction congestion at a physical store of each of the plurality of merchants, the indicator of transaction congestion based on the store transaction data that was input and the request for information from the customer as such request for information relates to the store transaction data; and the response to the request including the indicator of transaction congestion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for using transaction data to provide information to a customer, the information being provided in response to a request from the customer to assist the customer in decisioning, the method comprising;
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inputting transaction data, by a tangibly embodied processing system, regarding a plurality of transactions effected at a plurality of merchants, and each of the plurality of merchants constituted by a physical store in which persons effect transactions to generate store transaction data for that particular merchant, and the processing system, for each of the plurality of merchants, respectively inputting such store transaction data for that particular merchant, and the store transaction data, from the plurality of merchants, collectively constituting the transaction data; inputting, by the processing system, a request for information from a requesting customer, the request including parameters related to the request; performing processing, by the processing system, based on both the transaction data and the request for information, the processing including generating a response to the request; and outputting, by the processing system, the response to the requesting customer; wherein the request and processing relate to identifying activities of similarly situated persons vis-à
-vis the requesting customer, based on the transaction data; andwherein the processing, performed by the processing system, includes; comparing parameters of the requesting customer with parameters of other customers to determine which other customers are similar to the requesting customer; based on the comparing, identifying similar customers; determining what activities are engaged in by the similar customers, and including any such identified activities in the response to the requesting customer; and wherein respective weights that the parameters are accorded in determining which other customers are similar to the requesting customer are input from the requesting customer; wherein the request relates to decisioning by the customer in determining a sequence in which to perform a plurality of desired activities, the plurality of desired activities constituted by desired purchases at the plurality of merchants; wherein the processing, performed by the processing system, includes determining the timeliness of the transaction data that is used in the processing; and
wherein the determining the timeliness of the transaction data that is used in the processing includes determining whether real time or historical data is used in the processing; and
wherein the request from the requesting customer dictates whether real time or historical data is used in the processing; andwherein the request relates to identifying a merchant to shop at a particular time, such time selected by the customer; and
the performing processing based on both the transaction data and the request for information includes determining the frequency of transactions at a plurality of merchants, the plurality of merchants identified by the customer in the request for information, andthe performing processing including identifying an optimum merchant from the plurality of merchants, the optimum merchant constituted by a single merchant that is determined by the processing to be most desirable based on one or more parameters; wherein a listing of merchants is generated and output to the customer, the listing reflecting availability of each of the plurality of merchants to process an in-store transaction; and wherein the listing is provided to the customer in a graphical manner; and the performing processing including determining an indicator of transaction congestion at a physical store of each of the plurality of merchants, the indicator of transaction congestion based on the store transaction data that was input and the request for information from the customer as such request for information relates to the store transaction data; and the response to the request including the indicator of transaction congestion in the listing of merchants that is generated and output.
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Specification