Electronic receipt manager apparatuses, methods and systems

• US 9,646,291 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Britt, Juliene P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Phuong Thao
• Application Number:
  US13/470,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 707769, 707E17014, 715243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

The ELECTRONIC RECEIPT MANAGER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“ERM”) transforms transaction initiation requests and receipt requests via ERM components into receipt formatting, organization, storage and linkage with transactions. The ERM may be configured to receive a receipt through an interface of a portable device and determine a set of fields for formatting data from the receipt. The ERM may format the data from the receipt to include the set of fields and store the formatted data in a memory element of the portable device.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for managing receipts on a portable device, comprising:

receiving a receipt having receipt data through an interface of a portable device, the receipt including a plurality of receipt parameters;

uploading the receipt to a cloud storage system;

receiving custom report parameters through an input device of the portable device, the custom report parameters specifying one or more of the plurality of receipt parameters;

transmitting the custom report parameters to the cloud storage system;

receiving a request for a receipt history report from a user, including at least one receipt query parameter;

transmitting the at least one receipt query parameter to the cloud storage system;

receiving report data from the cloud storage system including receipt data for receipts stored on the cloud storage system that satisfy the at least one receipt query parameter, the report data having receipt parameters in conformance to the custom report parameters;

generating the receipt history report based on the report data and providing the generated receipt history report on the interface of the portable device;

formatting the report data into a set of fields selected according to a user preference selection comprising the custom report parameters, wherein the set of fields are determined based on at least one of a display size and capacity of a memory element of the portable device;

receiving a request from the user to display a new field that is available from the receipt data but was not selected according to the user preference selection; and

in response to the request, obtaining data for the new field and reformatting the report data to display the new field in the receipt history report.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface of the portable device for receiving the receipt includes an e-mail interface and an image capture interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of fields includes a return eligibility indicator that indicates whether one or more products associated with the receipt is eligible for return.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a unique receipt identifier; and

storing the unique receipt identifier in the memory element of the portable device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receipt is for a transaction conducted on an account issued by an issuer, the method further comprising:

sending a copy of the receipt along with the unique receipt identifier to the issuer of the account.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

obtaining the formatted report data stored in the memory element of the portable device; and

displaying the formatted report data in a display interface of the portable device, wherein the formatted report data includes a field for an icon or a link through which the receipt is accessible.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the cloud storage system generates a unique receipt identifier and transmits the unique receipt identifier to the portable device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receipt is for a transaction conducted on an account issued by an issuer, and wherein the cloud storage system sends the unique receipt identifier and at least a portion of the receipt data to the issuer of the account.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the unique receipt identifier is linked to a corresponding transaction on the account at the issuer such that the receipt for the transaction is accessible to the user from a user interface for management of the account maintained by the issuer.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one search parameter from the user; and

creating a receipt search request including the selection of the at least one search parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the receipt search request to the cloud storage system.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the portable device is offline; and

executing a query on the memory element of the portable device, said query being based on the selection of the at least one search parameter, to identify a matching receipt; and

displaying the matching receipt to the user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one search parameter is selected from a group consisting of transaction date, merchant, purchase category, payment card and receipt identifier.

14. A processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium storing processor-issuable instructions to:

receive a receipt having receipt data through an interface of a portable device, the receipt including a plurality of receipt parameters;

upload the receipt to a cloud storage system;

receive custom report parameters through an input device of the portable device, the custom report parameters specifying one or more of the plurality of receipt parameters;

transmit the custom report parameters to the cloud storage system;

receive a request for a receipt history report from a user, including at least one receipt query parameter;

transmit the at least one receipt query parameter to the cloud storage system;

receive report data from the cloud storage system including receipt data for receipts stored on the cloud storage system that satisfy the at least one receipt query parameter, the report data having receipt parameters in conformance to the custom report parameters; and

generate the receipt history report based on the report data and provide the generated receipt history report on the interface of the portable device;

format the report data into a set of fields selected according to a user preference selection comprising the custom report parameters, wherein the set of fields are determined based on at least one of a display size and capacity of a memory element of the portable device;

receive a request from the user to display a new field that is available from the receipt data but was not selected according to the user preference selection; and

in response to the request, obtain data for the new field and reformat the report data to display the new field in the receipt history report.

15. An electronic receipt manager system, comprising:

a portable device having an input interface configured to receive an electronic receipt corresponding to a transaction, the electronic receipt including receipt data and a plurality of receipt parameters;

wherein the portable device receives custom report parameters through an input device of the portable device, the custom report parameters specifying one or more of the plurality of receipt parameters;

a cloud storage system coupled to a receipt database; and

an issuer of an account on which the transaction is conducted;

wherein said portable device is configured to;

transmit the electronic receipt and the custom report parameters to the cloud storage system;

display a receipt history report on an interface of the portable device, wherein the receipt history report is generated based on report data received from the cloud storage system;

format the report data into a set of fields selected according to a user preference selection comprising the custom report parameters, wherein the set of fields are determined based on at least one of a display size and capacity of a memory element of the portable device;

receive a request from the user to display a new field that is available from the receipt data but was not selected according to the user preference selection; and

in response to the request, receive data for the new field and reformat the report data to display the new field in the receipt history report;

wherein the cloud storage system is configured to;

receive the electronic receipt from the portable device;

generate a receipt identifier for the received electronic receipt;

store the electronic receipt in association with the receipt identifier in the receipt database;

transmit the receipt identifier to the portable device;

transmit the receipt identifier along with at least one transaction identifying information to the issuer;

receive at least one receipt query parameter;

transmit report data including receipt data for electronic receipts stored on the cloud storage system that satisfy the at least one receipt query parameter, the report data having receipt parameters in conformance to the custom report parameters; and

provide for display on the portable device a receipt history report generated based on the report data; and

wherein the issuer is configured to;

receive the receipt identifier and the at least one transaction identifying information from the cloud storage system;

identify at least one transaction corresponding to the at least one transaction identifying information;

link the receipt identifier to the at least one transaction; and

provide a user of the account access to the electronic receipt stored in the receipt database in the cloud storage system via the receipt identifier.