Internet-based frequency and award redemption system and method

• US 7,856,376 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Affinion Net Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Affinion Net Patents Incorporated
• Inventors: Storey, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US11/930,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.23, 705/14.25, 705/14.27, 705/14.33, 705/14.34
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• 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 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

An on-line frequency award program is disclosed. A user may access the program on-line and may browse a product catalog for shopping. The user may electronically place an order, upon which the program automatically checks the user'"'"'s credit and electronically issues a purchase order to the supplying company. The program also calculates award points, updates the award account of enrolled users, and communicates that number of awarded points to the user. Enrolled users may browse through an award catalog and electronically redeem an amount of awarded points towards an award. The program then electronically places an award redeeming order with the fulfillment house and updates the user'"'"'s award account.

Claims

1. An internet-based, computerized method for enabling a user to redeem accumulated incentive award points that are redeemable by the user for an award, the computerized method comprising:

enabling a user to purchase products over a web page and issuing award points to the user immediately after the user makes a purchase, the award points being redeemable for an award immediately after issuance;

electronically transmitting over the internet to a user computer a web page including a user-selectable award information link adapted to enable the user to access information relating to one or more awards for which the user can exchange award points;

receiving information transmitted over the internet by the user computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the user computer in response to the user selecting the award information link; and

in response to receiving the information from the user computer, electronically transmitting over the internet to the user computer an award information web page which presents the user with information relating to one or more awards for which the user can exchange award points, the award information web page including a user-selectable award redemption link adapted to enable the user to initiate an exchange of award points for an award.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said award redemption link comprises a user-selectable award selection link adapted to enable the user to select an award presented on the award information web page to exchange for a corresponding number of award points.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accessing an award points account of the user;

redeeming the award selected by the user with the award selection link if the user'"'"'s award points account contains at least the corresponding number of award points; and

subtracting the corresponding number of award points from the user'"'"'s award points account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to one or more awards comprises, for each award, a description of the award and a number of points for which the award can be exchanged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the web page further includes a user-selectable award points account link adapted to enable the user to access the user'"'"'s award points account, and said method further comprises:

receiving information transmitted over the internet by the user computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the user computer in response to the user selecting the award points account link; and

in response to receiving the information from the user computer, electronically transmitting over the internet to the user computer an award points account web page which presents the user with information relating to the redemption value of the award points the user has accumulated.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to the user selecting the award selection link, electronically transmitting over the internet to the user computer a web page including an electronic award redemption form, the electronic award redemption form including one or more entries corresponding to the award selected by the user with the award selection link.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing an award points account of the user to determine the number of points the user has accumulated; and

transmitting to the user computer with the award information web page information relating only to awards for which the user has a sufficient number of points to exchange for the award.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the awards for which information is presented to the user on the award information web page are grouped according to different point levels.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing electronic information relating to awards for which a user can exchange award points, wherein the information is stored in different award libraries, each award library corresponding to a different range of award points for which a user can exchange for an award stored in the award library.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing electronic information relating to awards for which a user can exchange award points, wherein the electronic information stored for each award includes a flag which identifies a point level to which the award corresponds.