Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090024459 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REWARD POINTS EXCHANGE BETWEEN ACCOUNTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from of the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 01-22-2009 |
20100179870 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 07-15-2010 |
20100223118 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING MULTI-FUNCTION CARDS FOR STORING, MANAGING AND AGGREGATING REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 09-02-2010 |
20110004512 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 01-06-2011 |
20110010238 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ISSUING, AGGREGATING AND REDEEMING MERCHANT REWARDS - A loyalty reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of network such as a credit card network. A user makes a purchase at a merchant using a token such as a credit card. The user is awarded loyalty points from the merchant based on the amount of the purchase (e.g. 100 points for a $100 purchase). The reward points, which are specific to the merchant and the user, are stored in a database at the issuing bank, the acquiring bank, or a central reward server. The user may redeem the reward points earned from the transaction with the merchant at a later time, or may redeem the points with another merchant in the same marketing cluster, or may aggregate those reward points with those of other merchants into a reward point exchange account, and then redeem the aggregated reward points for goods or services from any approved merchant on the network, depending on the configuration of the system. | 01-13-2011 |
20110078008 | SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC BARTER, TRADING AND REDEEMING POINTS ACCUMULATED IN FREQUENT USE REWARD PROGRAMS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 03-31-2011 |
20110078010 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING MULTI-FUNCTION CARDS FOR STORING, MANAGING AND AGGREGATING REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 03-31-2011 |
20110153403 | REWARD EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH CONTROL OF EXCHANGED REWARDS AND MONETARY CONSIDERATION - An item may be purchased using a combination of rewards and monetary consideration, wherein a maximum allowable reward payment portion (or correspondingly a minimum monetary consideration amount) is established by the merchant, the reward issuer, or an online reward exchange operator. The user may select, using for example a user interface slider control, the desired number of rewards to redeem (up to the maximum allowable amount) and the corresponding monetary consideration portion is displayed. The transaction may then be executed wherein the selected rewards are redeemed and the balance is paid for with the corresponding monetary consideration. | 06-23-2011 |
20110153409 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 06-23-2011 |
20110153659 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES - A method of operating a centralized healthcare management system that includes a data translation map database and a central interpolation server computer interconnected to a computer network. The central server references a data translation map database for a desired translation map that enables the central interpolation server to translate data records from a source format to a destination format. | 06-23-2011 |
20110196729 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REWARDS TO A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AT THE POINT OF SALE - Providing rewards to a user by storing a user profile in memory of a computing device, the user profile including profile data including prior purchase history by the user including details of a plurality of transactions that have been previously executed by the user. The profile data is analyzed in accordance with a scoring algorithm to provide a score that is indicative of the relative value of the user, and the user is provided with a reward in accordance with the user's score as indicated by the scoring algorithm. The reward provided to the user may be a coupon, a rebate, a discount or reward points. | 08-11-2011 |
20120004973 | REWARD EXCHANGE SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC LOGIN AND REGISTRATION - A transaction system implemented with an exchange computer that interconnects with a user computing device, a data linking service, a plurality of transactional databases, and a plurality of information databases. The exchange computer receives, from a user computing device, customer identification data that identifies a customer, uses the customer identification data to access a customer database and retrieve from the customer database a customer record set, which includes a plurality of account information records, each of which is suitable for logging into an associated database. The exchange computer then uses each of the account information records to communicate with the database associated with the account information record and retrieve customer information. The retrieved customer information is then collated into an account web page, which is sent to the user computing device for display by the user computing device. | 01-05-2012 |
20120041812 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 02-16-2012 |
20120124608 | BROADCAST TELEVISION REWARD PROGRAM AND METHOD OF USE FOR ISSUING, AGGREGATING AND REDEEMING SPONSOR'S REWARD POINTS - A loyalty program operated in association with a television broadcast network, wherein reward content is provided along with television content (programming and/or advertising) to generate a television broadcast signal that is transmitted to a plurality of viewers. Each viewer may view or hear the reward content via their television receiver (or set top box, personal computer, etc.) along with the associated programming or advertisements, and as a result provide a reward response which may be a visit to a local merchant, a mail-in or call-in response, entered to a web site via the Internet, etc. Reward points, as well as prizes and product discounts may be provided as the reward to the viewer that provides the appropriate reward response. This program can be configured and adapted to provides incentives to viewers to visit certain merchants and sponsors, purchase certain products, view certain programs, and the like, based on the reward parameters employed. | 05-17-2012 |
20120130785 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDEEMING REWARDS IN PAYMENT OF A TRANSACTION ACCOUNT - A transaction aggregator aggregates a plurality of transaction account charges for a user transaction account. The transaction charges are received from merchants for acquisitions made by a user. The user is offered an option to make at least a partial payment to the user transaction account by redeeming rewards from at least one user reward account associated with a rewards issuer. A reward redemption instruction is received from the user, the reward redemption instruction designating the redemption of rewards from at least one user reward account. The user reward account(s) designated by the user is caused to redeem the rewards by decreasing the rewards in the user reward account and conveying corresponding consideration to the transaction aggregator. A credit is provided on the user transaction account for an amount corresponding to the value of the rewards decreased in the user reward account(s). | 05-24-2012 |
20120130789 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING AN ONLINE PURCHASE TRANSACTION WITH REWARDS - A system and method for implementation of product searches via a search engine over a networked computer system such as the Internet. In particular, a user may execute a search for product offers that are accompanied with reward components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.) and/or those that allow payment in whole or in part with payment components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.). | 05-24-2012 |
20120143667 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DESIGNATING ACCOUNTS FROM WHICH TO TRADE REWARDS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of reward points issuing entities, each of the reward points issuing entities tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a rewards server. A trading server accumulates the user's earned reward points from each of the reward servers interconnected over a network in association with consideration provided by the reward servers to the trading server and credits the accumulated points into a reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase from a merchant computer interconnected to the network. The merchant computer provides the item to the user in exchange for consideration received from said trading server, and the trading server reduces the number of points in the user's reward exchange account in accordance with the consideration provided to the merchant computer. | 06-07-2012 |
20120185314 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAKING DONATIONS TO CHARITABLE ENTITIES - A method and system for making a donation to a third party, wherein a user executes a purchase transaction using a card linked to a reward point account. If a user donation is desired, then the user's reward point account is decreased and corresponding value is transferred to a designated third party as a donation. In another aspect referred to as “topping off”, the donation amount is the difference between the ender amount and the purchase amount, and is transferred to a designated third party as a donation to the third party in lieu of providing change for the transaction back to the user. | 07-19-2012 |
20120191474 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES - A method of operating a centralized healthcare management system that includes a data translation map database and a central interpolation server computer interconnected to a computer network. The central server references a data translation map database for a desired translation map that enables the central interpolation server to translate data records from a source format to a destination format. | 07-26-2012 |
20120197671 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RESERVING PARTIAL SEATS - A seat reservation system and method in which a first user requests a reservation computer to reserve a first regular seat and a first partial seat for an event. A second user requests the reservation computer to reserve a second regular seat and a second partial seat for the event. The reservation computer then matches the first partial seat reservation request with the second partial seat reservation request to generate a middle seat reservation request for the event. The reservation computer assigns a first seat, a middle seat, and a second seat consecutively in a single row to the first user and the second user in fulfillment of the first user reservation request for the first regular seat and the first partial seat and the second user reservation request for the second regular seat and the second partial seat. | 08-02-2012 |
20120209684 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS - A system and method for implementation of product searches via a search engine over a networked computer system such as the Internet. In particular, a user may execute a search for product offers that are accompanied with reward components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.) and/or those that allow payment in whole or in part with payment components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.). | 08-16-2012 |
20120253909 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 10-04-2012 |
20120271703 | PORTABLE HAND-HELD MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE FOR STORING, MANAGING AND COMBINING REWARDS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 10-25-2012 |
20120271705 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SIMULTANEOUS AWARDING AND REDEEMING OF REWARD POINTS AT THE POINT OF SALE - A method and system for providing a purchase discount to a consumer. The system includes an exchange computer, a merchant computer associated with a merchant and interconnected with the exchange computer via a computer network, and an issuer computer associated with an issuer and interconnected with the exchange computer via the computer network. A consumer presents to the merchant computer an item for purchase at a regular purchase price. The merchant computer applies a discount to the regular purchase price to generate a discounted purchase price, the discount obtained by a computer-implemented process of simultaneous awarding and redeeming instant reward points with the issuer computer via an exchange computer. The merchant computer then completes the purchase transaction for the item with the consumer by using the discounted purchase price. | 10-25-2012 |
20120271717 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING LOCATION BASED PURCHASE INCENTIVES BASED ON PREDICTED ROUTE OF TRAVEL - Providing a purchase incentive to a mobile device based for example the user's location, predicted route of travel, and prior transactions. A tracking server computer determines a number of locations of a mobile device as it travels along a route and an associated timeframe when it is at each of the locations. The tracking server computer records the locations and associated timeframes in a location log and analyzes the location log to predict a subsequent location and associated timeframe that the mobile device will be at that location. The tracking server computer then determines a merchant proximate to the predicted subsequent location of the mobile device and generates a purchase incentive for use at the merchant and delivers the purchase incentive to the mobile device. In the alternative, the incentive may be generated by a merchant computer or the mobile device. | 10-25-2012 |
20120284109 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE OF REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 11-08-2012 |
20120303434 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH PRICE, REDEMPTION AND TRANSACTED VALUE DISCOUNT SCHEDULING - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 11-29-2012 |
20120323660 | PORTABLE HAND-HELD MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE TRANSACTION AND REWARD ACCOUNTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 12-20-2012 |
20130006740 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REWARDS TO A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AT THE POINT OF SALE - A method of providing rewards to a user by storing, in a portable computing device, user profile data which may be accessed by a merchant terminal only if allowed by the user. A merchant terminal interacts with the portable computing device by accessing the user profile data from the portable computing device if allowed by the user, and providing the user with a reward in accordance with the user profile data allowed by the user to be accessed by the merchant terminal, wherein the merchant terminal provides a relatively greater reward to the user when the user allows relatively more user profile data to be accessed by the merchant terminal and a relatively lesser reward to the user when the user allows relatively less data to be accessed by the merchant terminal. | 01-03-2013 |
20130085833 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 04-04-2013 |
20130103485 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH CONTROL OVER USAGE OF THE CONSUMER' S DATA AND REWARDS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH - A method of and system for providing consumers with control of the use of the consumer's data and providing associated rewards. A data control server computer (DCSC) receives from a consumer computing device consumer data and an associated data control parameter that specifies a level of control granted over the usage of the associated consumer data. The DCSC utilizes the received consumer data in accordance with the specified level of control over the usage of the consumer data. The DCSC will provide rewards to the consumer as a function of the consumer data entered by the consumer and the level of control of the usage of the consumer data specified by the consumer, and/or based on the quantity of the consumer data entered by the consumer, and/or based on the level of control of the usage of the consumer data specified by the consumer. | 04-25-2013 |
20130191202 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A REWARD POINT EXCHANGE WITH ISSUER-MERCHANT REDEMPTIONS - An online reward exchange system, including an exchange computer that interoperates with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant's point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the product. | 07-25-2013 |
20130231995 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 09-05-2013 |
20130238617 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING A SOCIAL NETWORK PROFILE - A method of and system for operating a social networking service. The system includes a social network server computer that provides a social networking service, wherein a multiplicity of members register with the social networking service to selectively form social networks. The social network server computer generates a member profile for each of the members of the social networking service. A plurality of social networks may be formed by the social network server computer, each of the social networks including a subset of the multiplicity of members selectively linked to each other via the social network server computer. The social network server computer then generates a network profile for each social network that is based on an analysis of the member profiles of the members of the social network. | 09-12-2013 |
20130246154 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE OF REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 09-19-2013 |
20130282467 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CARD LINKED REWARD EXCHANGE ACCOUNT - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282469 | PORTABLE HAND-HELD MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE FOR STORING, MANAGING AND COMBINING REWARDS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282471 | REWARD EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXECUTING A TRADING AGREEMENT BETWEEN MERCHANTS AND ISSUERS - An online reward exchange system including an exchange computer that interoperates with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant's point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282474 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REWARDS TO A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AT THE POINT OF SALE - A method of providing rewards to a user by storing, in a portable computing device, user profile data which may be accessed by a merchant terminal. A merchant terminal interacts with the portable computing device by accessing the user profile data from the portable computing device, and providing the user with a reward in accordance with the user profile data accessed by the merchant terminal, wherein the merchant terminal provides a relatively greater reward to the user when relatively more user profile data is accessed by the merchant terminal and a relatively lesser reward to the user when relatively less data is accessed by the merchant terminal. | 10-24-2013 |
20130283308 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REWARDS FOR RESPONSES TO BROADCAST PROGRAMMING - A broadcast signal having reward and broadcast (programming and/or advertising) content is broadcast, and viewers provide reward responses in response to queries in the broadcast content. Viewers also provide consumer data associated with the reward response provided. Rewards may then be awarded based on the accuracy of the reward response as well as the utilization of the associated consumer data provided. | 10-24-2013 |
20130304557 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH REWARD TRANSACTIONS BASED ON USER PROFILES - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 11-14-2013 |
20130304560 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH USER BIDS OF REWARDS FOR PURCHASE OF A PRODUCT - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 11-14-2013 |
20130339124 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING VALUE USING REWARDS - A method and system for transferring gift points to a recipient. An exchange computer redeems reward points designated by a user from a user reward point account stored on an associated reward server computer. The exchange computer requests a stored value issuer computer to fund a stored value account on behalf of the recipient in an amount equal to the gift points, the stored value account identified by a stored value account number. The exchange computer generates a bar code symbol encoded with a designation of the gift points and the stored value account number. The exchange computer sends to the recipient an online link to the bar code so that the recipient operating a computing device can use the online link to retrieve the bar code from the exchange computer. | 12-19-2013 |
20130346179 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC EXCHANGE OF REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 12-26-2013 |
20140046738 | PORTABLE HAND-HELD MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE TRANSACTION AND REWARD ACCOUNTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 02-13-2014 |
20140052525 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC REWARD REDEMPTION SOLUTIONS - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 02-20-2014 |
20140052628 | PORTABLE HAND-HELD MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE TRANSACTION ACCOUNTS - A portable hand-held multi-function device, such as a smart card or other peripheral device, and method of using same for purchase transactions. The device has processing circuitry, program storage, data memory, and a user input device. A plurality of transaction applications are stored in the data memory. The processing circuitry is programmed via instructions in the program storage to use, as a result of a user selection received via the user input device, one of the plurality of transaction applications for making payment for a purchase from a merchant in a purchase transaction. | 02-20-2014 |
20140067510 | System and method for card linked reward exchange account - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 03-06-2014 |
20140100939 | REWARD EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH CONTROL OF EXCHANGED REWARDS AND MONETARY CONSIDERATION - An item may be purchased using a combination of rewards and monetary consideration, wherein a maximum allowable reward payment portion (or correspondingly a minimum monetary consideration amount) is established by the merchant, the reward issuer, or an online reward exchange operator. The user may select, using for example a user interface slider control, the desired number of rewards to redeem (up to the maximum allowable amount) and the corresponding monetary consideration portion is displayed. The transaction may then be executed wherein the selected rewards are redeemed and the balance is paid for with the corresponding monetary consideration. | 04-10-2014 |
20140122214 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING THIRD PARTY REWARD POINTS TO PAY FOR AN ITEM VIA A SEARCH ENGINE - A system and method for implementation of product searches via a search engine over a networked computer system such as the Internet. In particular, a user may execute a search for product offers that are accompanied with reward components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.) and/or those that allow payment in whole or in part with payment components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.). | 05-01-2014 |
20140123031 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CALCULATION AND UTILIZATION OF VARIOUS USER PERSONAS - Provided is a method for generating a plurality of user personas comprising the steps of a user inputting, via a user computer, user input data associated with the user; transmitting the user input data to a persona server computer; the persona server computer accessing a plurality of external data sources to obtain external user data associated with the user; the persona server computer using the user input data and the external user data to calculate an actual persona of the user, an internal perceived persona of the user, an external perceived persona of the user, and an aspirational persona of the user; the persona server computer sending the actual persona of the user, the internal perceived persona of the user, the external perceived persona of the user, and/or the aspirational persona of the user to the user computer for display to the user. | 05-01-2014 |
20140156372 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING A CELEBRITY AWARD DISTRIBUTION, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION PROGRAM - A method and system for providing a multi-user, multi-celebrity award distribution, exchange and redemption program by allocating in an award server computer a plurality of sets of celebrity awards, each of the plurality of sets of celebrity awards associated with one of a plurality of celebrities; monitoring web activities of a plurality of users interacting over a computer network; and for each of the plurality of celebrities and for each of the plurality of users, determining a celebrity sub-score based on a correlation between the celebrity and the monitored web activities of the user, and distributing, based on the celebrity sub-score for the celebrity with the user, a portion of the set of celebrity awards associated with the celebrity to a user account associated with the user. | 06-05-2014 |
20140188644 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING A CONSUMER ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM - A managed credit system and method including a POS computer and a credit server computer interconnected via a computer network. The credit server computer includes a credit account database on which a credit account associated with a consumer is established, a purchase rules database on which a set of purchase rules is stored, and processing circuitry programmed to receive from the point of sale device a purchase request comprising an identification of the consumer and a price of the product. The processing circuitry is also programmed to determine if the purchase request should be authorized by (i) ascertaining if the purchase request complies with the set of purchase rules and (ii) verifying that the credit account contains credits sufficient to pay for the purchase request. | 07-03-2014 |
20140207554 | ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM WITH PRICE, REDEMPTION AND TRANSACTED VALUE DISCOUNT SCHEDULING - An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 07-24-2014 |
20140214513 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CARD LINKED REWARD ACCOUNT - A system and method for a user to have a credit card, debit card, or stored value card that is linked to their reward points account in such a way as to permit them to pay for purchases with a merchant by using the card, wherein the merchant uses the existing credit card payment infrastructure as if payment were being made/authorized by a bank linked to the credit card or debit card account, but in fact the card is linked to the user's reward points account. In this manner, the user and merchant can use the reward points account to pay for purchases in a seamless manner whereby reward points are used for consideration rather than or as a supplement to cash and traditional credit. | 07-31-2014 |
20140222542 | Method and system for electronic exchange of reward points - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access. | 08-07-2014 |
20140244371 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ISSUING, AGGREGATING AND REDEEMING MERCHANT REWARDS - A loyalty reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of a network such as a credit card network. A user makes a purchase at a merchant using a token such as a credit card. The user is awarded loyalty points from the merchant based on the amount of the purchase. The reward points, which are specific to the merchant and the user, are stored in a database at the issuing bank, the acquiring bank, or a central reward server. The user may redeem the reward points earned from the transaction with the merchant at a later time, or may redeem the points with another merchant in the same marketing cluster, or may aggregate those reward points with those of other merchants into a reward point exchange account, and then redeem the aggregated reward points for goods or services from any approved merchant on the network. | 08-28-2014 |
20140249910 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDEEMING REWARDS TO FUND A PAYMENT CARD ACCOUNT - A transaction aggregator aggregates a plurality of transaction account charges for a user transaction account. The transaction charges are received from merchants for acquisitions made by a user. The user is offered an option to make at least a partial payment to the user transaction account by redeeming rewards from at least one user reward account associated with a rewards issuer. A reward redemption instruction is received from the user, the reward redemption instruction designating the redemption of rewards from at least one user reward account. | 09-04-2014 |
20140259135 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SIMPLIFIED USER REGISTRATION ON A WEBSITE - A method and system for providing secure registration with a target website computer in which a user logs into a trusted partner website computer, which returns a link to the target website computer. The user computer is redirected to the target website computer with a token that identifies the user computer as being registered with and originating from the trusted partner website computer. After verification, the user provides registration information including an email address to the target website computer, which then sends a registration email message including a unique registration code to the email address provided by the user. The user computer displays a popup window that provides the unique registration code for viewing by the user. The user populates the registration code into a form on a registration verification web page which is sent to the target website computer for verification and completion of the user registration process. | 09-11-2014 |
20140280568 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING TRUST ANALYSIS FOR MEMBERS OF A SOCIAL NETWORK - A computer-implemented method of providing a trust analysis comprising forming, using a social network server computer, a social network comprising a plurality of members, each of said members registering with said social network server computer and providing a member profile, each of said member profiles comprising information associated with said member; performing with the social network server computer a member trust factor analysis to generate a member trust factor for each of the plurality of members; performing with the social network server computer a network trust factor analysis of the member trust factors to generate a network trust factor for the social network; and for each of the plurality of members, generating with the social network server computer an adjusted member trust factor by adjusting the member trust factor by the network trust factor. | 09-18-2014 |
20140289112 | PORTABLE MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 09-25-2014 |
20140304056 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DONATING REWARD POINTS TO TARGETED CHARITY - A method and system for making a donation to a third party in which a consumer is shown a video regarding a specified charitable organization on an interactive video terminal while in a captive environment such as on an airplane or cruise ship and then queried if he or she wishes to make a donation to that organization in reward points or miles. The user/donor may then request the donation via the interactive screen as desired. | 10-09-2014 |
20140310090 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAKING DONATIONS TO CHARITABLE ENTITIES - A system for a user making a donation to a third party by redeeming reward points, including an issuing bank computer storing a user credit/debit card account and a user reward point account, and a funds processor programmed to send a web page to a user device querying the user if a donation should be made to a third party, receive a donation request from the user device to be funded by redeeming reward points; process the donation request with the issuing bank computer by requesting it to redeem reward points in order to fund the donation by reducing the number of reward points in the user reward point account, and providing payment to the funds processor of a monetary value corresponding to the reward points reduced; and convey the monetary value to an account associated with the third party. | 10-16-2014 |
20140310155 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GROUP FINANCIAL RATE MANAGEMENT - A method of and system for operating a financial-based social network. A financial social network server computer forms a financial social network comprising a plurality of members linked to each other, then generates a financial member profile for each member, then generates a financial network profile based on an analysis of the financial member profiles of the members, then generates a base financial rate of the financial social network as a function of the financial network profile. Subsequently, the financial social network server computer executes a loan transaction with one of the members of the financial social network at a loan rate equal to the base financial rate. | 10-16-2014 |
20140330630 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING MULTI-FUNCTION CARDS FOR STORING, MANAGING AND AGGREGATING REWARD POINTS - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 11-06-2014 |
20140365290 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REWARDS TO A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AT THE POINT OF SALE - A method of providing rewards to a user by storing, in a portable computing device, user profile data which may be accessed by a merchant terminal. A merchant terminal interacts with the portable computing device by accessing the user profile data from the portable computing device, and providing the user with a reward in accordance with the user profile data accessed by the merchant terminal, wherein the merchant terminal provides a relatively greater reward to the user when relatively more user profile data is accessed by the merchant terminal and a relatively lesser reward to the user when relatively less data is accessed by the merchant terminal. | 12-11-2014 |
20140365292 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS TRACKING OF A PORTABLE DEVICETHROUGHOUT A PREMISES - A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card. | 12-11-2014 |
20140365293 | POINT OF SALE DEVICE FOR ONLINE REWARD POINT EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM - An online reward exchange system and method, with an exchange computer that interoperates with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant's point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user. | 12-11-2014 |
20140365294 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING REWARD POINTS TO LIQUIDATE PRODUCTS - A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment. | 12-11-2014 |
20140365295 | REWARD EXCHANGE METHOD AND SYSTEM IMPLEMENTING DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS - A method of operating a data collection and analysis system. An exchange computer receives customer identification data associated with a customer. A quantitative analysis algorithm determines whether the exchange computer has received an amount of customer identification data sufficient for the customer to be uniquely identified, and if so, then a linking service computer or a plurality of remote database computers perform a qualitative analysis algorithm with the customer identification data to determine if the customer identification data is sufficient for the customer to be uniquely identified. If the qualitative analysis algorithm passes, then customer information may be retrieved from the remote databases and collated and analyzed at the exchange computer. The customer may automatically register with reward programs using already-entered user information. A data analysis embodiment enables offers to be generated that are tailored towards specific users. | 12-11-2014 |
20150026046 | PORTABLE MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE TRANSACTION ACCOUNTS - A portable multi-function device with data memory for storing a plurality of transaction applications, each of the transaction applications configured to make payment in a transaction; program storage comprising instructions to use a selected transaction application to make payment in the transaction; and processing circuitry for performing the instructions in the program storage to use the selected transaction application to execute the transaction. | 01-22-2015 |