SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ISSUING DIGITAL RECEIPTS FOR PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS OVER A NETWORK

• US 20110145083A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Receipts Delivery Systems LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,534,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• 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 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/014 Providing recall services for goods or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system and method for providing digital receipts for purchase transactions are provided. The method includes the steps receiving information for a first credit card account for executing a transaction; retrieving a first customer record from a database using information from the first credit card account; charging an amount of the transaction to the first credit card account; and transmitting a receipt to a predetermined location of the customer. The predetermined location may be an e-mail address of the customer or a server residing on the network. By receiving digital receipts, a customer or end-user will be able to digitally store these receipts and view or print the receipts out when necessary. Furthermore, the customer will be able to manage the receipts with conventional software packages.

Claims

1. A method for issuing a purchase transaction receipt over a network, the method comprising the steps:

providing a web site, hosted by at least one server in communication with the network, for registering to receive digital receipts in association with a first credit card account, wherein the server stores at least one first customer record associating the first credit card account with an e-mail address of the first customer;

receiving, at a point-of-sale terminal, information for the first credit card account for executing a transaction;

retrieving, by the at least one server, the first customer record from a database using information from the first credit card account;

charging an amount of the transaction to the first credit card account; and

automatically e-mailing a digital receipt for the transaction to the e-mail address of the first customer without input from the first customer.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising providing at least one solicitation with the digital receipt.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the digital receipt on the at least one server at a time of the transaction;

providing access to the digital receipt at a time after the time of the transaction.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising downloading the digital receipt to a terminal of the first customer.

5. The method as in claim 3, further comprising downloading the digital receipt to a terminal of the first customer in a format for manipulation in a spreadsheet software program.

6. The method as in claim 3, further comprising downloading the digital receipt to a terminal of the first customer in a format for manipulation in a financial software program.

7. The method as in claim 2, wherein the at least one solicitation is an extended warranty for merchandise purchased or an upgrade to merchandise purchased.

8. The method as in claim 2, wherein the at least one solicitation is to process rebates for merchandise purchased.

9. The method as in claim 2, wherein the at least one solicitation is information on a product recall for merchandise purchased.

10. The method as in claim 2, wherein the at least one solicitation is an offer to sell additional merchandise based on previous purchases of the customer.

11. A terminal for issuing a digital receipt for a purchase transaction comprising:

an input device configured for receiving information for a first credit card account from a customer for executing a transaction;

at least one database storing at least a first credit card account record and at least one associated customer record, the at least one customer record including an indication that the customer desires to receive digital receipts and an e-mail address for receiving the digital receipt; and

a processor configured for verifying the first credit card account for an amount of the transaction, retrieving a first customer record from the database using the information from the first credit card account record, determining the e-mail address of the customer and automatically transmitting the receipt to the e-mail address without input from the customer.

12. The terminal as in claim 11, wherein the processor selects at least one solicitation based on the receipt of the transaction and e-mails the at least one solicitation to the e-mail address of the customer.

13. The terminal as in claim 11, further comprising a communication device configured to transmit the receipt to a remote server for storing the receipt.

14. The terminal as in claim 11, further comprising at least one second database for storing the at least one receipt.

15. The terminal as in claim 14, further comprising a communication device configured to provide access to the customer of the at least one receipt.

16. A system for issuing a purchase transaction receipt over a network comprising:

a remote server including a database storing a first credit card account record and at least one associated customer record, the at least one customer record including an indication that the customer desires to receive digital receipts and an e-mail address for receiving the digital receipt;

a terminal configured for receiving information for a first credit card account for executing a transaction and for transmitting the first credit card account information to the remote server,

wherein the remote server is configured to verify the first credit card account for an amount of the transaction, retrieving a first customer record from the database using the information from the first credit card account record, determining the e-mail address of the customer and transmitting the receipt to the determined e-mail address.

18. The system as in claim 16, wherein the remote server further comprises:

at least one second database for storing the at least one receipt at a time of the transaction; and

a communication device for providing access to the digital receipt at a time after the time of the transaction.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein the remote server is configured for downloading the digital receipt to a terminal of the first customer.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the digital receipt is downloaded to the terminal of the first customer in a format for manipulation in a spreadsheet software program or a financial software program.

17. The system as in claim 17, wherein the remote server selects at least one solicitation based on the receipt of the transaction and e-mails the at least one solicitation to the e-mail address of the customer.