System and method for administering a brokerage rebate card program

• US 8,719,085 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US11/327,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,039 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.25, 705/14.27, 705/14.33, 705/35, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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 30/0224 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 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A technique for administering a rebate program includes logic for generating rebate information based the purchase of goods and/or services using a card instrument. The technique further includes logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by an brokerage service. In one embodiment, the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction. In this case, the rebate is used to fund at least part of the transaction fee. The rebate therefore entitles the cardholder to perform a transaction free of charge. The rebate thus is converted to one or more “free transactions,” and in a more specific application, one or more “free trades.”

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for administering a reward program, comprising:

a card provider system, including;

a first module executed by a processor for generating reward information based on at least one purchase of goods or services using a card instrument; and

a brokerage system, including;

a second module executed by a processor for applying a reward, based on the reward information, to fund at least part of a transaction for securities performed by the brokerage system,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the second module uses the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

2. A computer-implemented system for administering a reward program, comprising:

a card provider system, including;

a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;

a first module executed by a processor for processing purchases made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument;

a second module executed by a processor for determining a reward information based on the purchases made using the card;

a brokerage system, including;

a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;

a third module executed by a processor for receiving instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;

a fourth module executed by a processor for processing the transaction; and

a fifth module executed by a processor for applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction,

wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the fifth module uses the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second module comprises logic for determining reward information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the card provider system further includes a sixth module executed by a processor for transferring the reward information from the card provider system to the brokerage system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sixth module transfers the reward information on a periodic basis.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the card provider system further comprises:

a seventh module executed by a processor for generating a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the brokerage system further comprises:

an eighth module executed by a processor for generating a transaction report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, on behalf of a cardholder, using the brokerage system, and which also identifies reward information.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein part of the reward is funded by the card provider system, and part of the reward is funded by the brokerage system.

9. A computer-implemented card provider system for administering a reward program, comprising:

a card provider system, including;

a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;

a first module executed by a processor for processing purchases made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument, and for making a record of the purchases in the card instrument account;

a second module executed by a processor for determining net purchase information based on a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;

a third module executed by a processor for determining reward information based on the net purchase information;

a fourth module executed by a processor for transferring the reward information to a brokerage system,

wherein the brokerage system applies a reward to fund at least part of a transaction for securities made using the brokerage system, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

10. A computer-implemented brokerage system for administering a reward program, comprising:

a brokerage system, including;

a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;

a first module executed by a processor for receiving reward information from a card provider system, the reward information based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;

a second module executed by a processor for receiving instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;

a third module executed by a processor for processing the transaction; and

a fourth module executed by a processor for applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

11. A computer-implemented method for administering a reward program, comprising:

generating, by a processor, reward information based on at least one purchase of goods or services using a card instrument;

storing the reward information in a database;

retrieving the reward information;

applying a reward, based on the reward information, to fund at least part of a stock market transaction performed by a brokerage system and

updating the database to reflect the updated reward information;

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the stock market transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

12. A method of administering a reward program, comprising:

establishing, by a card provider system, a card instrument account for a cardholder;

establishing, by a brokerage system, a transaction account;

using the card provider system to process purchases made by the cardholder based on use of a card instrument and making a record of the purchases in the card instrument account;

determining, by the card provider system, reward information based on the purchases made using the card instrument;

receiving, by the brokerage system, instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;

processing, by the brokerage system, the transaction, and making a record of the transaction in the transaction account; and

applying, by the brokerage system, a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the card provider system determines the reward information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transferring the reward information from the card provider system to the brokerage system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transferring step takes place on a periodic basis.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by the card provider system, a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information; and

forwarding the card instrument report to the cardholder.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by the brokerage system, a report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information; and

forwarding the transaction report to the cardholder.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein part of the reward is funded by the card provider system, and part of the reward is funded by the brokerage system.

19. A computer-implemented method of administering a reward program, comprising:

providing a card instrument to a cardholder and establishing a card instrument account;

processing at least one purchase made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument and making a record of the at least one purchase in the card instrument account;

determining, by a processor, net purchase information based on a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;

determining reward information based on the net purchase information; and

transferring the reward information to a brokerage system,

wherein the brokerage system applies a reward to fund at least part of a transaction of publicly traded assets made using the brokerage system, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction of publicly traded assets, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.

20. A computer implemented method of administering a reward program, comprising:

establishing a transaction account with a brokerage system;

receiving reward information from a card provider system, the reward information determined by a processor and based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;

receiving instructions from the cardholder that direct the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;

processing the transaction using the brokerage system and

applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage system charges a transaction fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee.