Automatically adding gratuity to amount charged in electronic transaction
First Claim
1. A method, performed by a card issuer, for automatically adding gratuity to an electronic charge transaction of an account holder, comprising the steps of:
- (a) maintaining, in a computer database,(i) account information that identifies an account of the account holder from which account payment is made, and(ii) in association therewith, gratuity data for calculating an amount of gratuity associated with such payment,(iii) wherein the gratuity data is accessible from the computer database using the account information; and
thereafter(b) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, and sent from a merchant,(i) the account information,(ii) an identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account identified by the account information, and(iii) a certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder;
(c) using the received account information, electronically accessing, from the computer database, the gratuity data;
(d) using the accessed gratuity data, calculating an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed;
(e) authorizing payment from the account a total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity; and
(f) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the merchant, an authorization code for payment from the account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity;
such that authorization by the card issuer for payment from the account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity authorized, and then receipt of such authorization by the merchant, occur prior to review of the calculated amount of gratuity by the account holder, whereby determining by the account holder an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed in order to leave gratuity is unnecessary, and whereby calculating by the account holder the total of the certain amount owed and the amount of gratuity in completing the electric charge transaction is unnecessary.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes receiving a payment object for payment of a certain amount owed by a first party to a second party. The payment object carries sufficient account information for the payment from an account associated with the payment object. The second party communicates the account information from the payment object and an identification of the second party for receipt by a third party; and receives in return data that is indicative of a gratuity to be charged against the account. The second party prints a document that includes the certain amount owed and the gratuity, as indicated by the data received by the second party, and presents the document for signature by the first party. The printed document preferably includes the total of the amount owed and the gratuity. The payment object may be a credit card, charge card, debit card, rebate card, or stored-value card.
16 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method, performed by a card issuer, for automatically adding gratuity to an electronic charge transaction of an account holder, comprising the steps of:
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(a) maintaining, in a computer database, (i) account information that identifies an account of the account holder from which account payment is made, and (ii) in association therewith, gratuity data for calculating an amount of gratuity associated with such payment, (iii) wherein the gratuity data is accessible from the computer database using the account information; and
thereafter(b) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, and sent from a merchant, (i) the account information, (ii) an identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account identified by the account information, and (iii) a certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder; (c) using the received account information, electronically accessing, from the computer database, the gratuity data; (d) using the accessed gratuity data, calculating an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed; (e) authorizing payment from the account a total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity; and (f) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the merchant, an authorization code for payment from the account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity; such that authorization by the card issuer for payment from the account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity authorized, and then receipt of such authorization by the merchant, occur prior to review of the calculated amount of gratuity by the account holder, whereby determining by the account holder an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed in order to leave gratuity is unnecessary, and whereby calculating by the account holder the total of the certain amount owed and the amount of gratuity in completing the electric charge transaction is unnecessary. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification