Payment processing for qualified transaction items

• US 9,864,988 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Mary Theresa, Cervenka, Karen Louise, Bischoff, Marla, Chace, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US13/915,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130339167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 705 21, 705 41, 705 35, 705 39, 705 44, 705 75, 235379, 235375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing a portable consumer device (e.g., a plastic card) that includes a coupon code and an account number (e.g., embedded on a magnetic stripe or a chip) where the portable consumer device is configured to apply a coupon to goods and services purchased at a merchant (e.g., store). Upon identifying the goods and services under a particular category specified by the coupon code (e.g., healthy food category), a user may pay for a predetermined portion (e.g., 50%) of the goods and services under the particular category using the portable consumer device. The user may pay for the remaining portion using a benefits card (e.g., state benefits card). As such, by allowing the user to pay for the predetermined portion using the portable consumer device, the user has incentive to purchase goods and services that fall under the particular category.

Claims

1. A point of sale (POS) terminal, comprising:

a bar code scanner configured to read a bar code from a portable consumer device, wherein the portable consumer device comprises an electronic coupon loaded to enable payment in a transaction, the coupon associated with an account number identifying a funding source of a benefit in a payment processing network, the coupon comprising a first code representing a first category of eligible items of different types, the first category of eligible items eligible for the benefit sponsored by the funding source, and the payment processing network comprising a payment processor computing device;

a processor;

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the processor to;

receive, for storage at the POS terminal, a plurality of coupon codes, each coupon code corresponding to a respective category of eligible items, and each category associated with a set of item identification codes;

receive, by the POS terminal from the portable consumer device, during a check-out process of a user purchasing a set of purchase items of different types, the first code, wherein the receiving the first code comprises reading the bar code from the portable consumer device using the bar code scanner;

receive, by the POS terminal, the account number, wherein the account number is read from the portable consumer device;

identify, by the POS terminal, a subset of the purchase items, wherein the identifying the subset is based on the received first code, the stored plurality of coupon codes, and a schema of eligible items classified under the first category, and wherein the identifying the subset further comprises determining whether a first purchase item in the set of purchase items is in the first category based on whether a first item identification code of the first purchase item is classified under the first category in accordance with the schema; and

generate, by the POS terminal, a split transaction in which an authorization request for the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items is processed in accordance with the account number in the payment processing network;

wherein, in the split transaction, the POS terminal is configured to accept the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items as a first payment for the set of purchase items and configured to accept a second payment for the set of purchase items;

wherein electronic authorization communication by the POS terminal regarding the split transaction causes the payment processor computing device to charge the first payment to a first account identified by the account number, and to charge the second payment to a second account of a source other than the funding source.

2. The point of sale (POS) terminal of claim 1, wherein the bar code has a hierarchy taking into account manufacturer identification numbers.

3. The point of sale (POS) terminal of claim 1, wherein the first item identification code includes one of:

a product lookup unit (PLU), or a stock keeping unit (SKU).

4. The point of sale (POS) terminal of claim 1, wherein funds in an account identified by the account number in the payment processing network are pre-paid.

5. The point of sale (POS) terminal of claim 1, wherein the first code further identifies a manufacturer identification number, and the schema further determines whether or not a purchase item is eligible for the benefit based at least in part on whether the purchase item is associated with the manufacturer identification number.

6. The point of sale (POS) terminal of claim 1, wherein the portable consumer device is a plastic card including a coupon image.

7. A computer-implemented method performed at a point of sale (POS) terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, for storage at the POS terminal, a plurality of coupon codes, each coupon code corresponding to a respective category of eligible items, and each category associated with a set of item identification codes;

receiving, by the POS terminal from a portable consumer device, during a check-out process of a user purchasing a set of purchase items of different types, a first code representing a first category of eligible items of different types, the first category of eligible items eligible for a benefit sponsored by a funding source, wherein the receiving the first code comprises reading a bar code from the portable consumer device using a bar code scanner, and wherein the portable consumer device comprises an electronic coupon loaded to enable payment in a transaction, the coupon associated with an account number identifying a funding source of a benefit in a payment processing network, the coupon comprising the first code, and the payment processing network comprising a payment processor computing device;

receiving, by the POS terminal, the account number, wherein the account number is read from the portable consumer device;

identifying, by the POS terminal, a subset of the purchase items, wherein the identifying the subset is based on the received first code, the stored plurality of coupon codes, and a schema of eligible items under the first category, and wherein the identifying the subset further comprises determining whether a first purchase item in the set of purchase items is in the first category based on whether a first item identification code of the first purchase item is classified under the first category in accordance with the schema; and

generating, by the POS terminal, a split transaction in which an authorization request for the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items is processed in accordance with the account number in the payment processing network;

wherein, in the split transaction, the POS terminal is configured to accept the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items as a first payment for the set of purchase items and configured to accept a second payment for the set of purchase items;

wherein electronic authorization communication by the POS terminal regarding the split transaction causes the payment processor computing device to charge the first payment to a first account identified by the account number, and to charge the second payment to a second account of a source other than the funding source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first category of eligible items includes different types of healthy foods.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first payment is charged to an account identified by the account number via the payment processing network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bar code has a hierarchy taking into account manufacturer identification numbers.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first item identification code includes one of:

a product lookup unit (PLU), or a stock keeping unit (SKU).

12. The method of claim 7, wherein funds in an account identified by the account number in the payment processing network are pre-paid.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first code further identifies a manufacturer identification number, and the schema further determines whether or not a purchase item is eligible for the benefit based at least in part on whether the purchase item is associated with the manufacturer identification number.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to instruct a point of sale (POS) terminal to:

receive, for storage at the POS terminal, a plurality of coupon codes, each coupon code corresponding to a respective category of eligible items, and each category associated with a set of item identification codes;

receive, by the POS terminal from a portable consumer device, during a check-out process of a user purchasing a set of purchase items, a first code representing a first category of eligible items, the first category of eligible items eligible for a benefit sponsored by a funding source, wherein the receiving the first code comprises reading a code from the portable consumer device using a scanner, and wherein the portable consumer device comprises an electronic coupon loaded to enable payment in a transaction, the coupon associated with an account number identifying a funding source of a benefit in a payment processing network, the coupon comprising the first code, and the payment processing network comprising a payment processor computing device;

receive, by the POS terminal, the account number, wherein the account number is read from the portable consumer device;

identify, by the POS terminal, a subset of the purchase items, wherein the identifying the subset is based on the received first code, and wherein the identifying the subset further comprises determining whether a first purchase item in the set of purchase items is in the first category based on whether an item identification code of the first purchase item is classified under the first category; and

generate, by the POS terminal, a split transaction in which an authorization request for the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items is processed in accordance with the account number in the payment processing network;

wherein, in the split transaction, the POS terminal is configured to accept the benefit applied to the subset of the purchase items as a first payment for the set of purchase items and configured to accept a second payment for the set of purchase items;

wherein electronic authorization communication by the POS terminal regarding the split transaction causes the payment processor computing device to charge the first payment to a first account identified by the account number, and to charge the second payment to a second account of a source other than the funding source.