Systems and methods to enhance search data with transaction based data

• US 9,953,373 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Winters, Michelle Eng
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Kito R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamerski, Bolko M
• Application Number:
  US15/701,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20170372434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Provided is a system, method, and apparatus for enhancing search data using a search engine and a transaction handler. The method includes processing, by a transaction handler, a plurality of transactions initiated at a plurality of user terminals associated with a plurality of users, receiving a request to retrieve search statistics, the request identifying at least one search term, identifying a set of search statistics based on the at least one search term identified in the request, generating a set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics based on the transaction data, the set of transaction statistics relating the searches performed by the user terminals to an impact on transactions, correlating the set of search statistics to the set of transaction statistics, and juxtaposing the set of search statistics with the set of transaction statistics to generate a response to the request from the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing search data using a search engine and a transaction handler, comprising:

processing, by the transaction handler, a plurality of transactions initiated at a plurality of terminals associated with a plurality of users, the plurality of transactions relating to a plurality of merchants and resulting in transaction data, wherein the plurality of terminals is associated with a plurality of searches performed in at least one search engine by users with a plurality of search terms, and wherein the transaction handler is configured in an electronic payment processing network including the transaction handler, at least one first computer in communication with the transaction handler and configured to receive payment for at least a portion of the plurality of transactions in the electronic payment processing network, the plurality of terminals in communication with the transaction handler and configured to generate the plurality of transactions using a plurality of account identifiers corresponding to the plurality of users, and a data warehouse in communication with the transaction handler and configured to store transaction data corresponding to the plurality of transactions;

receiving, from a user through a portal in communication with the data warehouse, a request to retrieve search statistics, the request identifying at least one search term;

identifying, by at least one processor, a set of search statistics based at least partially on the at least one search term, the set of search statistics relating to searches performed by users;

generating, by the at least one processor, a set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics based at least partially on the transaction data, the set of transaction statistics relating the searches performed by the terminals to an impact on transactions;

correlating, by the at least one processor, the set of search statistics to the set of transaction statistics; and

juxtaposing, by the at least one processor, at least a portion of the set of search statistics with at least a portion of the set of transaction statistics to generate a response to the request from the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search statistics is generated by the at least one search engine, and wherein identifying the set of search statistics comprises retrieving, with the at least one processor, the set of search statistics from the at least one search engine.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transaction handler comprises the at least one processor.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the juxtaposing the set of search statistics with the set of transaction statistics comprises presenting a list showing statistics about a plurality of search terms, the statistics for each of the search terms including data representing statistics of transactions related to a corresponding search term.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search statistics is correlated to the set of transaction statistics before the request is received.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein generating the set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics comprises retrieving stored transaction statistics that have been correlated to the set of search statistics.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of search statistics comprises at least one of the following:

a search frequency, a number of searches, a number of searches performed within a time period, a timing of searches, geographical regions associated with the searches, online activities relating to the searches, or any combination thereof.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of transaction statistics comprises transaction statistics corresponding to a merchant that submitted the request and transaction statistics corresponding to at least one other merchant of the plurality of merchants.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of transaction statistics comprises at least one of the following:

a transaction volume resulting from the searches, an average transaction amount resulting from the searches, time delay between a transaction and a related search, a purchase channel, an indication of repeated transactions, a transaction trend, spending profile parameters of users that engaged in transactions as a result of the searches.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transactions comprises a plurality of offline transactions initiated at point-of-sale terminals located at physical merchant stores, wherein the offline transactions redeem offers that link the offline transactions with online activity.

11. A system for enhancing search data, comprising:

a transaction handler configured in an electronic payment processing network, the electronic payment processing network including the transaction handler, a plurality of terminals in communication with the transaction handler and configured to initiate a plurality of transactions using account identifiers corresponding to a plurality of users, and at least one first computer in communication with the transaction handler and configured to receive payment for at least a portion of the plurality of transactions in the electronic payment processing network, the transaction handler further configured to process the plurality of transactions initiated at the plurality of terminals, the plurality of transactions relating to a plurality of merchants and resulting in transaction data, wherein the plurality of terminals is associated with a plurality of searches performed in at least one search engine by users with a plurality of search terms;

a data warehouse in communication with the transaction handler and configured to store the transaction data corresponding to the plurality of transactions;

a portal in communication with the data warehouse, the portal configured to receive requests to retrieve search statistics; and

at least one processor associated with the transaction handler and in communication with the at least one search engine, the at least one processor configured to;

receive a request to retrieve search statistics through the portal, the request identifying at least one search term;

identify a set of search statistics based at least partially on the at least one search term, the set of search statistics relating to searches performed by users;

generate a set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics based at least partially on the transaction data, the set of transaction statistics relating the searches performed by the terminals to an impact on transactions;

correlate the set of search statistics to the set of transaction statistics; and

juxtapose at least a portion of the set of search statistics with at least a portion of the set of transaction statistics to generate a response to the request from the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of search statistics is generated by the at least one search engine, and wherein the set of search statistics are identified by retrieving the set of search statistics from the at least one search engine.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to juxtapose the set of search statistics with the set of transaction statistics by presenting a list showing statistics about a plurality of search terms, the statistics for each of the search terms including data representing statistics of transactions related to a corresponding search term.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of search statistics is correlated to the set of transaction statistics before the request is received.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics is generated by retrieving stored transaction statistics that have been correlated to the set of search statistics.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of search statistics comprises at least one of the following:

a search frequency, a number of searches, a number of searches performed within a time period, a timing of searches, geographical regions associated with the searches, online activities relating to the searches, or any combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of transaction statistics comprises transaction statistics corresponding to a merchant and transaction statistics corresponding to at least one other merchant of the plurality of merchant.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of transaction statistics comprises at least one of the following:

a transaction volume resulting from the searches, an average transaction amount resulting from the searches, a time delay between a transaction and a related search, a purchase channel, an indication of repeated transactions, a transaction trend, spending profile parameters of users that engaged in transactions as a result of the searches, or any combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transactions comprises a plurality of offline transactions initiated at point-of-sale terminals located at physical merchant stores, wherein the offline transactions redeem offers that link the offline transactions with online activity.

20. An apparatus for enhancing search data with transaction data from a transaction handler, wherein the transaction handler is configured in an electronic payment processing network including the transaction handler, at least one first computer in communication with the transaction handler and configured to receive payment for at least a portion of a plurality of transactions in the electronic payment processing network, a plurality of terminals in communication with the transaction handler and configured to generate the plurality of transactions using account identifiers corresponding to a plurality of users, and a data warehouse in communication with the transaction handler and configured to store transaction data, the transaction handler configured to process the plurality of transactions initiated at the plurality of terminals associated with the plurality of users, the plurality of transactions associated with a plurality of merchants and resulting in the transaction data that is stored in the data warehouse, and wherein the plurality of terminals is associated with a plurality of searches performed in at least one search engine by users with a plurality of search terms, the apparatus comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive, through a portal in communication with the data warehouse, a request to retrieve search statistics from a merchant of the plurality of merchants, the request identifying at least one search term;

identify a set of search statistics based at least partially on the at least one search term, the set of search statistics relating to searches performed by users;

generate a set of transaction statistics corresponding to the set of search statistics based at least partially on the transaction data, the set of transaction statistics relating the searches performed by the users to an impact on transactions;

correlate the set of search statistics to the set of transaction statistics; and

juxtapose at least a portion of the set of search statistics with at least a portion of the set of transaction statistics to generate a response to the request from the user.