System and method for providing coupon-less discounts based on a user broadcasted message

• US 9,767,467 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Gebb, Luke, Muthukrishnan, Sathish B., Tiku, Sripriya, Wolf, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Luis A
• Application Number:
  US13/411,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1434, 705 143, 705 1436, 705 1438, 705 141, 705 1449, 705 1466, 705 1467
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4015 using location information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase

Abstract

The systems and methods provide an offer to a user that may be accepted by the user through an action by the user. The action may be, for example, a broadcast through a social media channel. The parameters of the offer may defined that the broadcast comprise an offer identifier and may require that a user take subsequent action to fulfill the offer. The systems and methods may also be configured to monitor one or more broadcast channels, identify the source of a broadcast, identify transaction accounts associated with the source, evaluate transaction data associated with the transaction account, and provide benefits to the source and/or the transaction account.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

syncing, by a computer based system and via a registered card engine, a transaction account, a social media channel and a user profile,

wherein the synching comprises;

receiving, by the computer based system, a request to sync the social media channel with the transaction account issued by a transaction account issuer system,

wherein the request is created by the social media channel in response to a user initiating a sync process in the social media channel;

obtaining by the computer based system and in response to the request to sync, access to user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

identifying, by the computer based system, the user profile based on the user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

determining by the computer based system, the transaction account associated with the user based on at least one of an input from the user in the social media channel or a response by the user to a request from the computer based system for a transaction account number;

verifying, by the computer based system, that the transaction account is eligible to sync with the user profile in the social media channel;

verifying, by the computer based system, that the transaction account is eligible to receive offers from a reward program system via the social media channel,

wherein the verification is based on at least one of user account type, user spending level, user payment history, user spending history, user creditworthiness, or user enrollment in loyalty programs;

receiving, by an offer registration system of the computer based system, an offer and an offer indicator,

wherein the offer defines the social media channel and the offer indicator to be provided in a broadcast platform,

wherein the offer indicator is functional and allows the social media channel to identify and route the offer to the computer based system, and

wherein the offer indicator is capable of being broadcasted in the social media channel;

converting, by the computer based system, the offer to be configured for use in the social media channel;

providing, by the computer based system and to the user, the offer indicator for the offer;

receiving, by the computer based system via a broadcast module residing with the social media channel, a set of broadcasts from the social media channel that trigger an acceptance of the offer by the user,

wherein the social media channel receives broadcasts sent by users and filters the broadcasts for the offer indicator such that the set of broadcasts sent to the computer based system include the offer indicator, and

wherein the broadcast platform is configured to identify a set of users that correspond to the set of broadcasts based on each user of the set of users having the transaction account associated with the social media channel;

identifying, by the computer based system, the offer indicator within the broadcast;

determining, by the computer based system, a source of the broadcast based on the offer indicator,

wherein the source of the broadcast has the transaction account that is linked with the social media channel; and

associating, by the computer based system, the offer associated with the offer indicator to the transaction account associated with the source of the broadcast, in response to the transaction account being synched to the user profile and the social media channel;

monitoring, by the computer based system and via the transaction account issuer system, the transaction account for at least one of a past transaction, current transaction or future transaction with a merchant via a merchant system that satisfies the offer; and

crediting, by the computer based system, the transaction account with a reward in response to identifying at least one of the past transaction, the current transaction or the future transaction that satisfies the offer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast is transmitted via a push based short message service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast is transmitted through at least one of You Tube, Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer indicator comprises a # and a keyword.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inviting, by the computer based system, the user to associate the transaction account with the social media channel and use the offer, in response to the transaction account not being synched to the social media channel associated with the offer; and

inviting, by the computer based system, the user to register for the transaction account and synch the transaction account with the social media channel and use the offer, in response to the user not being associated with the transaction account.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, comparing, by the computer based system, the broadcast to a predetermined offer indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the computer based system, an invitation to apply for the transaction account in response to the source being the non-cardmember.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer based system, a request by the source for the computer based system to monitor the broadcast from the source.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating, by the computer based system, the social media channel with the transaction account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is further based on the user at least one of following the merchant, re-tweeting tweets from the merchant system or being at a certain location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast is transmitted through twitter, wherein the source is a cardmember, and wherein the offer indicator is a hashtag.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer indicator is defined by the merchant system and comprises text associated with the merchant system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the offer is defined by the merchant system through an application programming interface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer indicator is defined by a manufacturer and comprises text associated with a product.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer indicator comprises at least one of a picture, a graphical element, or a sound.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer comprises parameters defining the nature of the broadcast and a second parameter to receive the offer.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by an offer distribution engine of the computer based system and to the user, the offer in a webpage having a database that is searchable for the offer; and

displaying, by the computer based system, an indicator of the social media channel within the webpage.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a computer based system, cause the computer based system to perform operations comprising:

syncing, by the computer based system and via a registered card engine, a transaction account, a social media channel and a user profile,

wherein the switching comprises;

receiving, by the computer based system, a request to sync the social media channel with the transaction account issued by a transaction account issuer system,

wherein the request is created by the social media channel in response to a user initiating a sync process in the social media channel;

obtaining, by the computer based system and in response to the request to sync, access to user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

identifying, by the computer based system, the user profile based on the user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

determining, by the computer based system, the transaction account associated with the user based on at least one of an input from the user in the social media channel or a response by the user to a request from the computer based system for a transaction account number;

verifying, by the computer based system, that the transaction account is eligible to sync with the user profile in the social media channel;

verifying, by the computer based system, that the transaction account is eligible to receive offers from a reward program system via the social media channel,

wherein the verification is based on at least one of user account type, user spending level, user payment history, user spending history, user creditworthiness, or user enrollment in loyalty programs;

receiving, by an offer registration system of the computer based system, an offer and an offer indicator,

wherein the offer defines the social media channel and the offer indicator to be provided in a broadcast platform,

wherein the offer indicator is functional and allows the social media channel to identify and route the offer to the computer based system, and

wherein the offer indicator is capable of being broadcasted in the social media channel;

converting, by the computer based system, the offer to be configured for use in the social media channel;

providing, by the computer based system and to the user, the offer indicator for the offer;

receiving, by the computer based system via a broadcast module residing with the social media channel, a set of broadcasts from the social media channel that trigger an acceptance of the offer by the user,

wherein the social media channel receives broadcasts sent by users and filters the broadcasts for the offer indicator such that the set of broadcasts sent to the computer based system include the offer indicator, and

wherein the broadcast platform is configured to identify a set of users that correspond to the set of broadcasts based on each user of the set of users having the transaction account associated with the social media channel;

identifying, by the computer based system, the offer indicator within the broadcast;

determining, by the computer based system, a source of the broadcast based on the offer indicator,

wherein the source of the broadcast has the transaction account that is linked with the social media channel; and

associating, by the computer based system, the offer associated with the offer indicator to the transaction account associated with the source of the broadcast, in response to the transaction account being synched to the user profile and the social media channel;

monitoring, by the computer based system and via the transaction account issuer system, the transaction account for at least one of a past transaction, current transaction or future transaction with a merchant via a merchant system that satisfies the offer; and

crediting, by the computer based system, the transaction account with a reward in response to identifying at least one of the past transaction, the current transaction or the future transaction that satisfies the offer.

19. A computer based system comprising:

a processor;

a tangible network interface communicating with a tangible, non-transitory memory;

the tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with the processor; and

the processor, when executing a computer program, perform operations comprising;

syncing, by the processor and via a registered card engine, a transaction account, a social media channel and a user profile,

wherein the synching comprises;

receiving, by the processor, a request to sync the social media channel with the transaction account issued by a transaction account issuer system,

wherein the request is created by the social media channel in response to a user initiating a sync process in the social media channel;

obtaining, by the processor and in response to the request to sync, access to user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

identifying, by the processor, the user profile based on the user profile information of the user of the social media channel;

determining, by the processor, the transaction account associated with the user based on at least one of an input from the user in the social media channel or a response by the user to a request from the processor for a transaction account number;

verifying, by the processor, that the transaction account is eligible to sync with the user profile in the social media channel;

verifying, by the processor, that the transaction account is eligible to receive offers from a reward program system via the social media channel,

wherein the verification is based on at least one of user account type, user spending level, user payment history, user spending history, user creditworthiness, or user enrollment in loyalty programs;

receiving, by an offer registration system of the processor, an offer and an offer indicator,

wherein the offer defines the social media channel and the offer indicator to be provided in a broadcast platform,

wherein the offer indicator is functional and allows the social media channel to identify and route the offer to the processor, and

wherein the offer indicator is capable of being broadcasted in the social media channel;

converting, by the processor, the offer to be configured for use in the social media channel;

providing, by the processor and to the user, the offer indicator for the offer;

receiving, by the processor via a broadcast module residing with the social media channel, a set of broadcasts from the social media channel that trigger an acceptance of the offer by the user,

wherein the social media channel receives broadcasts sent by users and filters the broadcasts for the offer indicator such that the set of broadcasts sent to the processor include the offer indicator, and

wherein the broadcast platform is configured to identify a set of users that correspond to the set of broadcasts based on each user of the set of users having the transaction account associated with the social media channel;

identifying, by the processor, the offer indicator within the broadcast;

determining, by the processor, a source of the broadcast based on the offer indicator,

wherein the source of the broadcast has the transaction account that is linked with the social media channel; and

associating, by the processor, the offer associated with the offer indicator to the transaction account associated with the source of the broadcast, in response to the transaction account being synched to the user profile and the social media channel;

monitoring, by the processor and via the transaction account issuer system, the transaction account for at least one of a past transaction, current transaction or future transaction with a merchant via a merchant system that satisfies the offer; and

crediting, by the processor, the transaction account with a reward in response to identifying at least one of the past transaction, the current transaction or the future transaction that satisfies the offer.