System and method for exchanging loyalty points for acquisitions

• US 7,686,218 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Silverstein, Andrea N., Rodriguez, Sunen, Hessburg, Matthew Benedict, Rappleyea, Andrew W., Sanoff, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US11/862,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/14.23, 705/14.27, 705/14.28, 705/14.33, 705/14.37, 705/26, 705/37, 235/376, 235/383, 235/385, 235/375, 235/380, 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating an acquisition from a merchant, whereby payment for the acquisition is made at least partially through automated redemption of loyalty points from a loyalty account. In particular, information is received at a loyalty point exchange system from the merchant. The information may include loyalty data indicating that the acquisition was paid for using a transaction card account that is to be reimbursed using loyalty points from the loyalty account. The loyalty account is debited by an amount equal to a currency value of the acquisition and the transaction card account is credited the amount charged for the acquisition. Loyalty points may, alternatively, be used to directly pay for purchases without the steps of charging and crediting a transaction card.

Claims

1. A loyalty system for facilitating purchase of an event ticket from a merchant, wherein the merchant offers a selection of tickets for purchase using at least one transaction card account, and wherein the merchant offers an option of paying for the event ticket at least partially using loyalty points from at least one loyalty account, the system comprising:

an exchange system configured to receive loyalty data from the merchant, wherein the loyalty data comprises a purchase price of the event ticket, an identifier of each loyalty account being used, and an identifier each transaction card account being used, wherein the exchange system is configured to convert the purchase price of the event ticket to equivalent loyalty points, and wherein the identifier of each loyalty account is provided by a user to the merchant;

a transaction account system comprising at least a first computerized database system for managing the at least one transaction card account, wherein the transaction account system is configured to charge the at least one transaction card account for the purchase price of the event ticket; and

a loyalty accounts system comprising at least a second computerized database system for managing the at least one loyalty account, wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to;

receive the loyalty data from the exchange system for the purchase of the event ticket;

facilitate exchange of account data between the at least one loyalty account and the at least one transaction card account for the purchase of the event ticket;

debit the at least one loyalty account for the purchase of the event ticket, based on the loyalty data corresponding to the event ticket, by an amount of loyalty points equivalent to a currency value of a reimbursement amount that is at least a portion of the purchase price of the event ticket; and

credit the at least one transaction card account by the reimbursement amount for the purchase of the event ticket.

2. The loyalty system of claim 1 wherein the identifier of the at least one loyalty account comprises a scrambled loyalty account card number, and wherein the exchange system is configured to descramble the scrambled loyalty account card number.

4. The loyalty system of claim 1 wherein the exchange system authenticates at least one of the purchase price of the event ticket, the identifier of each transaction card being used, and the identifier of each loyalty account being used.

5. The loyalty system of claim 1 wherein each transaction card account being used is associated with at least one of:

a credit card, debit card, smart card, stored value card, and a digital wallet.

6. The loyalty system of claim 1 wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to debit a plurality of loyalty accounts.

3. The loyalty system 1 wherein the exchange system is configured to reject non-qualifying requests from the merchant for payment using loyalty points.

7. A loyalty system for facilitating purchase from a merchant, wherein the merchant offers an option of paying for the purchase using at least one transaction card and at least partially using loyalty points from at least one loyalty account, the system comprising:

an exchange system configured to receive loyalty data from the merchant, wherein the loyalty data comprises a purchase price, an identifier of each loyalty account being used, and an identifier of each transaction card account being used, wherein the exchange system is configured to convert a purchase price to equivalent loyalty points, and wherein the identifier of each loyalty account is provided by a user to the merchant;

a transaction account system comprising at least a first computerized database system for managing the at least one transaction card account, wherein the transaction account system is configured to charge the at least one transaction card account for the purchase price; and

a loyalty accounts system comprising at least a second computerized database system for managing the at least one loyalty account, wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to;

receive the loyalty data from the exchange system for the purchase;

facilitate exchange of account data between the at least one loyalty account and the at least one transaction card account for the purchase;

debit the at least one loyalty account for the purchase, based on the loyalty data corresponding to the purchase, by an amount of loyalty points equivalent to a currency value of a reimbursement amount that is at least a portion of the purchase price; and

credit the at least one transaction card account by the reimbursement amount for the purchase.

8. The loyalty system of claim 7 wherein the identifier of the at least one loyalty account comprises a scrambled loyalty account card number, and wherein the exchange system is configured to descramble the scrambled loyalty account card number.

10. The loyalty system of claim 7 wherein the exchange system authenticates at least one of the purchase price, the identifier of each transaction card being used, and the identifier of each loyalty account being used.

11. The loyalty system of claim 7 wherein each transaction card account being used is associated with at least one of:

a credit card, debit card, smart card, stored value card, and a digital wallet.

12. The loyalty system of claim 7 wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to debit a plurality of loyalty accounts.

13. The loyalty system of claim 7 wherein the purchase is an event ticket and the merchant is a ticket agent.

14. The loyalty system of claim 13 wherein the event ticket is purchased from an exchange.

9. The loyalty system 7 wherein the exchange system is configured to reject non-qualifying requests from the merchant for payment using loyalty points.

15. A loyalty system for facilitating purchase of an event ticket from a merchant, wherein the merchant offers a selection of tickets for purchase using at least one transaction card account, and wherein the merchant offers an option of paying for the event ticket using at least partially loyalty points from at least one loyalty account, the system comprising:

an exchange system configured to receive loyalty data from the merchant, wherein the loyalty data comprises a purchase price of the event ticket and an identifier of each of the at least one loyalty account being used, wherein the exchange system is configured to convert the purchase price of the event ticket to equivalent loyalty points, and wherein the identifier of each loyalty account is provided by a user to the merchant; and

a loyalty accounts system comprising at least a first computerized database system for managing the at least one loyalty account, wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to;

receive the loyalty data from the exchange system,

debit the at least one loyalty program account by the equivalent loyalty points, and

pay the merchant at least part of the purchase price of the event ticket.

16. The loyalty system of claim 15 wherein the identifier of the at least one loyalty account comprises a scrambled loyalty account card number, and wherein the exchange system is configured to descramble the scrambled loyalty account card number.

18. The loyalty system of claim 15 wherein the exchange system authenticates at least one of the loyalty data, the identifier of a purchase price of the event ticket and the identifier of each loyalty account being used.

19. The loyalty system of claim 15 wherein each transaction card account being used is associated with at least one of:

a credit card, debit card, smart card, stored value card, and a digital wallet.

20. The loyalty system of claim 15 wherein the loyalty accounts system is configured to debit a plurality of loyalty accounts.

17. The loyalty system 15 wherein the exchange system is configured to reject non-qualifying requests from the merchant for payment using loyalty points.