Readable indicia for fuel purchase

• US 9,177,308 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Grigg, David M., Grossman, Glenn, Calman, Matthew A., Bondesen, Laura Corinne, Jones, Alicia C., Bertanzetti, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US13/562,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20140006186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 705/17, 705/66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to purchasing fuel for a vehicle from a fuel station. An exemplary apparatus is configured to: receive pre-configured information associated with an information-providing source associated with at least one of the fuel station or a fuel pump at the fuel station; determine identification information associated with the fuel pump that will be used for fueling the vehicle; and transmit a purchase authorization request to an external server based on the identification information and the pre-configured information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for purchasing fuel for a vehicle from a fuel station, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

a computing module stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured to;

receive pre-configured information associated with an information-providing source associated with at least one of a fuel station or a user at a portable mobile communication apparatus, wherein the pre-configured information comprises identification information associated with at least one of the fuel station, a fuel pump in the fuel station, the user, or a merchant associated with the fuel station;

initiate, on a display of the portable mobile communication apparatus, a user interface in response to receiving the pre-configured information, wherein the user interface comprises address information associated with the fuel station and identification information associated with one or more fuel pumps associated with the fuel station;

enable selection, on the user interface of the portable mobile communication apparatus, of a fuel pump associated with the fuel station, a type of fuel desired by the user, and an amount of fuel needed to fill the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank to a determined capacity, the amount of fuel being communicated from the vehicle to the apparatus;

determine identification information associated with the fuel pump that will be used for fueling the vehicle based on positioning system information and location information associated with a social networking account;

transmit a purchase authorization request to an external server based on the identification information and the pre-configured information, wherein the purchase authorization request comprises payment information, wherein the payment information is at least one of a payment card previously selected by the user to pay for a fuel purchase, a prepaid payment account associated with the pre-configured information, or a new payment card associated with the user, wherein the external server receives the payment information for the purchase authorization request, and processes the purchase authorization request based on one or more authorization rules, wherein processing the purchase authorization request further comprises determining the payment card, a payment amount, and an offer for the purchase authorization request, wherein determining further comprises;

determining that the user is not excluded from receiving at least one offer based on at least a first user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant associated with a predetermined category code is not excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a first merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the first user exclusion rule and the first merchant exclusion rule are applied before the purchase authorization request is executed by the user;

transmit the offer to the user, wherein the offer is transmitted via an online banking platform or an online banking application on the portable mobile communication apparatus associated with the user;

receive an electronic receipt from the external server based on at least determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request, wherein the external server sends an authorization prompt to the fuel station, wherein in response to receiving the authorization prompt an agent at the fuel station activates the fuel pump wherein determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request further comprises;

determining that the user is excluded from receiving the offer associated with the purchase authorization request based on at least a second user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant is excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a second merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the second user exclusion rule and the second merchant exclusion rule are applied after the purchase authorization request is executed by the user and before the purchase is settled at a predetermined future settlement date; and

apply the offer to the purchase authorization request executed by the user at the predetermined future settlement date based on at least determining that the user and the offer from the merchant are not excluded at the time of the execution of the purchase and are excluded at the predetermined future settlement date.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module is further configured to:

enable selection, on the user interface, of a payment card to pay for the fuel purchase, wherein the apparatus accesses information associated with one or more payment cards.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purchase authorization request is further based on at least one of payment card information, social networking information, or a selected type of fuel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an image-capturing component, wherein the information-providing source comprises readable indicia, and wherein the apparatus enables capture of an image of the readable indicia.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the readable indicia is presented on a display associated with at least one of the fuel station or the fuel pump.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the readable indicia comprises a sticker attached to the fuel pump.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the readable indicia comprises a Quick Response (QR) code.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information-providing source comprises a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-configured information comprises information pre-approved by at least one of a merchant associated with the fuel station or a user of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-configured information is pre-configured to be associated with the apparatus and not to be associated with another apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a purchase transaction based on the purchase authorization request comprises a card-present transaction or a card-not-present transaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is integrated into the vehicle.

13. A method for purchasing fuel for a vehicle from a fuel station, the method comprising:

receiving, using a computing device processor, pre-configured information associated with an information-providing source associated with at least one of a fuel station or a user at a portable mobile communication apparatus, wherein the pre-configured information comprises identification information associated with at least one of the fuel station, a fuel pump in the fuel station, the user, or a merchant associated with the fuel station;

initiating, on a display of the portable mobile communication apparatus, a user interface in response to receiving the pre-configured information, wherein the user interface comprises address information associated with the fuel station and identification information associated with one or more fuel pumps associated with the fuel station;

enabling selection, on the user interface of the portable mobile communication apparatus, of a fuel pump associated with the fuel station, a type of fuel desired by the user, and an amount of fuel needed to fill the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank to a determined capacity, the amount of fuel being communicated from the vehicle to the apparatus;

determining, using a computing device processor, identification information associated with the fuel pump that will be used for fueling the vehicle based on positioning system information and location information associated with a social networking account;

transmitting, using a computing device processor, a purchase authorization request to an external server based on the identification information and the pre-configured information, wherein the purchase authorization request comprises payment information, wherein the payment information is at least one of a payment card previously selected by the user to pay for a fuel purchase, a prepaid payment account associated with the pre-configured information, or a new payment card associated with the user, wherein the external server receives the payment information for the purchase authorization request, and processes the purchase authorization request based on one or more authorization rules, wherein processing the purchase authorization request further comprises determining the payment card, a payment amount, and an offer for the purchase authorization request, wherein determining further comprises;

determining that the user is not excluded from receiving at least one offer based on at least a first user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant associated with a predetermined category code is not excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a first merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the first user exclusion rule and the first merchant exclusion rule are applied before the purchase authorization request is executed by the user;

transmitting, using a computing device processor, the offer to the user, wherein the offer is transmitted via an online banking platform or an online banking application on the portable mobile communication apparatus associated with the user;

receiving, using a computing device processor, an electronic receipt from the external server based on at least determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request, wherein the external server sends an authorization prompt to the fuel station, wherein in response to receiving the authorization prompt an agent at the fuel station activates the fuel pump wherein determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request further comprises;

determining that the user is excluded from receiving the offer associated with the purchase authorization request based on at least a second user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant is excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a second merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the second user exclusion rule and the second merchant exclusion rule are applied after the purchase authorization request is executed by the user and before the purchase is settled at a predetermined future settlement date; and

applying, using a computing device processor, the offer to the purchase authorization request executed by the user at the predetermined future settlement date based on at least determining that the user and the offer from the merchant are not excluded at the time of the execution of the purchase and are excluded at the predetermined future settlement date.

14. A computer program product for purchasing fuel for a vehicle from a fuel station, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of codes for causing a portable mobile communication apparatus to;

receive pre-configured information associated with an information-providing source associated with at least one of a fuel station or a user at a portable mobile communication apparatus, wherein the pre-configured information comprises identification information associated with at least one of the fuel station, a fuel pump in the fuel station, the user, or a merchant associated with the fuel station;

initiate, on a display of the portable mobile communication apparatus, a user interface in response to receiving the pre-configured information, wherein the user interface comprises address information associated with the fuel station and identification information associated with one or more fuel pumps associated with the fuel station;

enable selection, on the user interface of the portable mobile communication apparatus, of a fuel pump associated with the fuel station, a type of fuel desired by the user, and an amount of fuel needed to fill the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank to a determined capacity, the amount of fuel being communicated from the vehicle to the apparatus;

determine identification information associated with the fuel pump that will be used for fueling the vehicle based on positioning system information and location information associated with a social networking account;

transmit a purchase authorization request to an external server based on the identification information and the pre-configured information, wherein the purchase authorization request comprises payment information, wherein the payment information is at least one of a payment card previously selected by the user to pay for a fuel purchase, a prepaid payment account associated with the pre-configured information, or a new payment card associated with the user, wherein the external server receives the payment information for the purchase authorization request, and processes the purchase authorization request based on one or more authorization rules, wherein processing the purchase authorization request further comprises determining the payment card, a payment amount, and an offer for the purchase authorization request, wherein determining further comprises;

determining that the user is not excluded from receiving at least one offer based on at least a first user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant associated with a predetermined category code is not excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a first merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the first user exclusion rule and the first merchant exclusion rule are applied before the purchase authorization request is executed by the user;

transmit the offer to the user, wherein the offer is transmitted via an online banking platform or an online banking application on the portable mobile communication apparatus associated with the user;

receive an electronic receipt from the external server based on at least determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request, wherein the external server sends an authorization prompt to the fuel station, wherein in response to receiving the authorization prompt an agent at the fuel station activates the fuel pump wherein determining that the user has executed the purchase authorization request further comprises;

determining that the user is excluded from receiving the offer associated with the purchase authorization request based on at least a second user exclusion rule; and

determining that the offer from the merchant is excluded from being presented to the user based on at least a second merchant exclusion rule;

wherein the second user exclusion rule and the second merchant exclusion rule are applied after the purchase authorization request is executed by the user and before the purchase is settled at a predetermined future settlement date; and

apply the offer to the purchase authorization request executed by the user at the predetermined future settlement date based on at least determining that the user and the offer from the merchant are not excluded at the time of the execution of the purchase and are excluded at the predetermined future settlement date.