Electronic coupon issuance and redemption apparatuses, methods and systems

• US 9,953,334 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heitmueller, Kathy, Frantz, Douglas R., Truelson, Chris J., Taylor, Mary T., Granville, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoltenberg, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/391,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130211890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions

Abstract

The ELECTRONIC COUPON ISSUANCE AND REDEMPTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“ECIR”) transforms user coupon purchase and redemption request inputs via ECIR components into coupon issuance, transaction, and analytics outputs. In some embodiments, the ECIR may receive an inventory request from a coupon program manager, including at least a virtual coupon issue criteria. The ECIR may generate one or more account identifiers, and transmit the account identifiers to the coupon program manager. The ECIR may receive, from the coupon program manager, an issue request along with the purchase information, which may include one or more purchase identifiers corresponding to one or more buyers. The ECIR may determine when the received purchase information satisfies the virtual coupon issue criteria. when it satisfies the criteria, the ECIR may issue one or more virtual coupons having the one or more account identifiers, and transmit the issued virtual cards to the coupon program manager.

Claims

1. A virtual prepaid coupon account issuance processor-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, via a pay network, an executable hyperlink GET message including an inventory request from a coupon program manager, the inventory request including at least one virtual coupon issue criterion;

activating, by one or more data processors, the executable hyperlink GET message;

upon activating the executable hyperlink GET message, generating, by the one or more data processors, one or more account numbers in response to the inventory request, the one or more account numbers being associated with one or more prepaid accounts;

transmitting, via the pay network, the generated one or more account numbers to the coupon program manager;

receiving, via the pay network, an issue request from the coupon program manager, wherein the issue request includes purchase information including one or more purchase identifiers corresponding to one or more buyers, and the one or more account numbers associated with the one or more prepaid accounts;

in response to the issue request, determining, by the one or more data processors, that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual coupon issue criterion;

based on the determination that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual coupon issue criterion, generating an executable hyperlink POST message including an account issuance message, the account issuance message including the one or more purchase identifiers; and

transmitting, via the pay network, the executable hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message to the coupon program manager;

wherein, upon activating the hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message, the coupon program manager generates one or more virtual cards for single use for the one or more buyers, the virtual cards including the one or more purchase identifiers, and wherein the coupon program manager generates one or more coupon activation messages and transmits the one or more coupon activation messages to one or more devices of the one or more buyers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a coupon purchase request from the one or more buyers;

retrieving the purchase information from the coupon purchase request; and

providing the issued virtual cards to the one or more buyers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the issued virtual cards are permanent account numbers associated with a virtual payment system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the issued virtual cards are single use associated with one buyer and one coupon.

5. A virtual prepaid offer account issuance system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory disposed in communication with the one or more processors and storing processor issuable instructions to;

receive, via a pay network, an executable hyperlink GET message including an inventory request from an offer program manager, the inventory request including at least one virtual offer issue criterion;

activate the executable hyperlink GET message;

upon activating the executable hyperlink GET message, generate one or more account numbers in response to the inventory request, the one or more account numbers being associated with one or more prepaid accounts;

transmit, via the pay network, the generated account numbers to the offer program manager;

receive, via the pay network, an issue request from the offer program manager, wherein the issue request includes purchase information including one or more purchase identifiers corresponding to one or more buyers, and the one or more account numbers associated with the one or more prepaid accounts;

determine, in response to the issue request, that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual offer issue criterion;

based on the determination that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual offer issue criterion, generate an executable hyperlink POST message including an account issuance message, the account issuance message including the one or more purchase identifiers; and

transmit, via the pay network, the executable hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message to the offer program manager;

wherein, upon activating the hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message, the offer program manager generates one or more virtual cards for single use for the one or more buyers, the virtual cards including the one or more purchase identifiers, and wherein the offer program manager generates one or more offer activation messages and transmits the one or more offer activation messages to one or more devices of the one or more buyers.

6. The system of claim 5, the memory further storing instructions to:

receive an offer purchase request from the one or more buyers;

retrieve the purchase information from the offer purchase request; and

provide the issued virtual cards to the one or more buyers.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the issued virtual cards are permanent account numbers associated with a virtual payment system.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the issued virtual cards are single use associated with one buyer and one coupon.

9. A processor-readable non-transitory tangible medium storing processor-issuable virtual prepaid offer account issuance instructions to:

receive, via a pay network, an executable hyperlink GET message including an inventory request from an offer program manager, the inventory request including at least one virtual offer issue criterion;

activating, by one or more processors, the executable hyperlink GET message;

upon activating the executable hyperlink GET message, generate one or more account numbers in response to the inventory request, the one or more account numbers being associated with one or more prepaid accounts;

transmit, via the pay network, the generated account numbers to the offer program manager;

receive, via the pay network, an issue request from the offer program manager, wherein the issue request includes purchase information including one or more purchase identifiers corresponding to one or more buyers, and the one or more account numbers associated with the one or more prepaid accounts;

determine, in response to the issue request, that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual offer issue criterion;

based on the determination that the received purchase information satisfies the at least one virtual offer issue criterion, generate an executable hyperlink POST message including an account issuance message, the account issuance message including the one or more purchase identifiers; and

transmit, via the pay network, the executable hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message to the offer program manager;

wherein, upon activating the hyperlink POST message including the account issuance message, the offer program manager generates one or more virtual cards for single use for the one or more buyers, the virtual cards including the one or more purchase identifiers, and wherein the offer program manager generates one or more offer activation messages and transmits the one or more offer activation messages to one or more devices of the one or more buyers.

10. The medium of claim 9, further storing instructions to:

receive an offer purchase request from the one or more buyers;

retrieve the purchase information from the offer purchase request; and

provide the issued virtual cards to the one or more buyers.

11. The medium of claim 9, wherein the issued virtual cards are permanent account numbers associated with a virtual payment system.

12. The medium of claim 9, wherein the issued virtual cards are single use associated with one buyer and one coupon.