230 results about "Loyalty program" patented technology

The ShopLive system supports existing merchants and malls to better serve customers by providing easy access to merchandise and sales assistance. The shopper accesses the ShopLive system through various portals. They can be a PC, Web TV, mall kiosk, store kiosk, mobile terminal, screen telephone or any other communication device capable of connecting to a communications network. When the shopper starts the shopping mission they can logon in or if already enrolled, they can use a password for a quick entry. They may chose to shop anonymously. A shopper can set up a shopping mission by defining class of goods, price, color and the like and set out to search for that either in their physical location or remotely. Once the items are located video cameras scan the merchandise to the shopper through the terminal. The cameras may be remotely operable to swing through different views to better display the goods. Or they can view items according to pre-determined scan patterns. Sound and other sensory stimulus such as tactile sensors may be used to enhance the shopping experience. The shopper may also ask for help from an assistant (SLA) that acts just like a sales person in a retail setting. This person can help select goods and can discuss the items selected. The SLA can also check product availability and help complete the purchase as in a normal sales transaction. Or, the shopper can use the ShopLive system to check out themselves. As the shopper moves through the shopping mission, they can add items to their electronic shopping cart and have a one-stop check out or they can check out with each merchant. The shopper is also entered into the available loyalty programs and presented with coupons and rebates. At the end of the shopping mission the shopper can either physically pick up the selections are arrange shipping. The ShopLive system supports multiple selling activities including auctions. It is also a rich data-base for merchants and allows targeted advertising. A live browser accesses the shopper to present sales and incentives to the customer. The ShopLive system connects the Shopper and the merchant to make the shopping experience more effective for both.

A disclosed gaming machine is used to provide a method of registering a player to a loyalty program such as a player tracking program at the gaming machine. At the gaming machine, the player or a casino service representative may enter identification information such as a name, an address and biometric information using an input mechanism located on the gaming machine or on a hand-held wireless device. The loyalty program information may be combined with information such as serial number or a bar-code read from a loyalty program instrument in a loyalty program registration request message sent to a loyalty program server such as a player tracking server. The loyalty program instrument may include a magnetic striped card, a smart card, a printed ticket, a room key, a cell-phone or a portable computing device. When the registration request is confirmed by the loyalty program server, the player may begin a loyalty program session on a gaming machine and earn loyalty points.

A system and method for spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a loyalty point transaction is disclosed. The system enables a participant of a loyalty program to accept an advance of loyalty point when a loyalty account balance is insufficient to make a desired purchase. An amount of loyalty points available as an advance to a participant is determined based on a number of criteria related to the participant, financial account activity, and loyalty account activity. The participant is allotted a predetermined length of time to earn or purchase enough loyalty points to repay the balance of advanced loyalty points. If, at the conclusion of such predetermined length of time, sufficient points have not been earned to offset the loyalty point advance, the participant is charged the currency value of each outstanding loyalty point. The participant may be assessed interest charges and / or fees at the time of the loyalty point advance, during reimbursement, or at the end of a time period for reimbursement.

A system and method for spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a loyalty point transaction is disclosed. The system enables a participant of a loyalty program to accept an advance of loyalty point when a loyalty account balance is insufficient to make a desired purchase. An amount of loyalty points available as an advance to a participant is determined based on a number of criteria related to the participant, financial account activity, and loyalty account activity. The participant is allotted a predetermined length of time to earn or purchase enough loyalty points to repay the balance of advanced loyalty points. If, at the conclusion of such predetermined length of time, sufficient points have not been earned to offset the loyalty point advance, the participant is charged the currency value of each outstanding loyalty point. The participant may be assessed interest charges and / or fees at the time of the loyalty point advance, during reimbursement, or at the end of a time period for reimbursement.

The present invention involves spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a transaction. With this system, a loyalty program participant is able to use an existing transaction card to purchase an item over a computerized network, while at the same time offsetting the cost of that transaction by converting loyalty points to a currency value credit and having the credit applied to the participant's financial transaction account. Currency credit from converted loyalty points may also be applied to stored value cards, online digital wallet accounts and the like. Further, currency credit may also be applied to other accounts to effect a gift or donation.

The present invention involves spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a transaction. With this system, a loyalty program participant is able to use an existing transaction card to purchase an item over a computerized network, while at the same time offsetting the cost of that transaction by converting loyalty points to a currency value credit and having the credit applied to the participant's financial transaction account. Currency credit from converted loyalty points may also be applied to stored value cards, online digital wallet accounts and the like. Further, currency credit may also be applied to other accounts to effect a gift or donation.

A system and method for implementing a program such as a loyalty program. An account (e.g., card) system includes a plurality of participating account holders (e.g., cardholders), a plurality of non-participating account holders (e.g., cardholders), a plurality of non-preferred merchants and a plurality of preferred merchants. A processor executes the program including evaluating transactions to identify qualifying transactions involving both a participating account holders (e.g., cardholders) and a preferred merchant. Rebates are provided for identified, qualifying transactions.

A method and system for tracking and redeeming smart card loyalty points includes storing loyalty program information related to transactions with at least one merchant in a loyalty register residing on a smart card microcomputer for the customer. Transaction information about transactions with the merchant is stored in a purchase log likewise residing on the smart card microcomputer for the customer. The stored transaction information is compared with the stored loyalty program information, and transaction information about one or more transactions with the merchant which is stored in the purchase log, but which is omitted from the loyalty register, is automatically identified. The stored loyalty program information is then automatically updated with the omitted transaction information. The transaction information includes, for example, a plurality of unique transaction numbers in ascending order, and identifying the omitted transaction information involves identifying one or more transaction numbers in the stored transaction information that is greater than any transaction number stored in the loyalty program information.

The invention provides various systems and methods for providing universal access to loyalty programs and / or financial accounts. The method includes initializing a universal loyalty program account and financial account device. The method further includes associating loyalty program accounts and / or financial accounts with the universal loyalty program and financial instrument device. The method then accesses at least one of the loyalty program accounts and / or the financial accounts at a customer facing device using the universal loyalty program account and financial account device.

A method and system for processing financial transactions by receiving a payment transaction as an Issuing Payment Processor, converting the payment into one or more derivative transactions based on a defined rules set, and then sending, as a Merchant Payment Processor, the resulting derivative transaction or transactions to another Issuing Payment Processor, resulting in real-time settlement, faster and less costly implementation of discount, gift, and loyalty programs, and enhanced member credit card security and privacy.

Systems and methods are disclosed for enrolling candidate participants in loyalty programs. In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining an enrollment rule for a loyalty program, the enrollment rule including one or more conditions for the loyalty program, obtaining at least one attribute for a candidate participant and evaluating the enrollment conditions using the at least one attribute. If the enrollment conditions are satisfied, the candidate participant is automatically enrolled in the loyalty program.

A system for facilitating reward selection and redemption for a loyalty program is disclosed. The system includes a point-of-sale (POS) device that is capable of monitoring and processing a reward redemption. The POS device informs a participant of the loyalty program as to what rewards are available for redemption. The participant is given an opportunity by the POS device to select the desired reward for redemption. Alternatively, the POS device allows the participant to defer redemption of the available rewards.

Systems, methods, and machine-readable mediums are disclosed for administering loyalty programs. In one embodiment, the loyalty system comprises an interface to receive transaction information, the transaction information including a participant identifier identifying a participant in a loyalty program, and a rules data store including a reward rule having a reward calculation algorithm and an exclusion rule having at least one condition to exclude participants from accruing loyalty rewards based on one or more participant attributes. The system also includes logic to obtain the participant attributes, to evaluate the exclusion rule condition using the participant attributes, and if the participant is not excluded, to evaluate one or more conditions associated with the reward rule to determine whether to apply the reward calculation algorithm to the transaction.

A disclosed a gaming machine includes an input mechanism with a non-physical contact data interface. The non-physical contact data interface may be capable of reading loyalty program data from a loyalty program instrument without contact between the loyalty program instrument and the non-physical contact data interface. The input mechanism with the non-physical contact data interface may be one of a bill validator, a bar-code reader and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader. The loyalty program instrument may be a substrate including at least one of a 1-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a 2-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a symbol printed on the substrate, alpha-numeric character printed on the substrate, a RFID tag embedded in the substrate, a RFID tag printed on the substrate and combinations thereof. The loyalty program instrument may be used to store an index to a record in a database or a portable data file.

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.

A system and methods to mutually satisfy a consumer with a discount and a vendor with a minimum number of sales by establishing a tipping point associated with an offer for a good or service. If the tipping point is met, the sale of the good or service is executed and the consumer is charged and receives an indication of the discounted sale, such as a certificate. If the tipping point is not met, the discount offer is abandoned and the consumer is not charged. Once the tipping point is established, the vendor receives a payment, even before the consumer uses the certificate. The system and methods also include a reward or loyalty program, an exchange or secondary market for the purchased deals, and a matching algorithm that matches customers to relevant goods or services.

A system and a method for redeeming a coupon issued by a merchant are provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a text message transmitted by a user, determining a telephone number from which the text message was transmitted, debiting an amount corresponding to the value of the coupon from a merchant account, and depositing the amount into a user account. The coupon redemption message includes merchant identification and a value of the coupon. The user is sent a notification message, typically via the user's mobile cellular telephone, to inform the user that the amount corresponding to the coupon value has been deposited into the user account. Each of the accounts may be associated with an internet-based payment system. The value of the coupon may be expressible as either currency, mileage credit, points associated with a merchant loyalty program, or prepaid minutes of mobile cellular telephone usage.

Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to digital downloading jukebox systems of the type that typically include a central server and remote jukebox devices that communicate with the central server for royalty accounting and / or content updates. More particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that have revenue-enhancing features such as for example, music recommendation engines and bartender loyalty programs. Such innovative techniques help to both increase per jukebox revenue as well as keep jukebox patrons engaged with the jukebox.

The present invention provides a Mobile Loyalty and Community Service (MLCS) for decreasing customer churn and increasing customer spend. In an embodiment, the MLCS provides an event driven platform based around sticky accounts. The MLCS issues tokens, currencies, loyalty points and other value assets to customers based on definable user activities (e.g., purchases, forwarding promotional messages to friends, etc.), and stores these assets into customer accounts. Each of these accounts is made sticky by associating it with the mobile carrier and the customer's phone number. The MLCS provides prize catalogs where customers can redeem points in their accounts for valuable prizes (e.g., free voice minutes, ringtones, etc.). The MLCS also provides downloadable games, e.g., pay-per-play games. To motive customers to play these games, and thus increase customer spend, the MLCS issues points to customer based on in-game events (e.g., game score, level reached within a game, etc.).

A loyalty program system and method includes of membership card that is distributed to customers. The membership card is associated with multiple merchants whose accounts are centrally managed but segregated from one another. In this manner a customer only needs to carry a single card while participating in promotions that are controlled and managed by separate merchants. A merchant can reward customers based on the nature of the transactions with the merchants, for example based on value, frequency and so forth. In addition, it is possible to add merchants to the loyalty program even if they already have their own pre-existing customer membership base that carries pre-existing membership cards. In that case, the automated loyalty program is configured to recognize and honor the pre-existing cards by establishing in the system account files for the added merchants, and configuring the system to recognize and honor identification information provided in the pre-existing membership cards. It is also possible to use the system to track multi-balance gift certificates. It is also possible to use the system in a business-to-business barter system, in which multiple merchants are associated with one card provided to a first merchant. The first merchant can redeem the card any of one or more other merchants with which an exchange has been made, either directly or by way of a barter broker.

A value storage system in which information representing value is directly written to an easily portable storage medium as a reference fingerprint. The value storage system includes a plurality of read / write units for storing and retrieving the value information. Each of the read / write units may include a data authenticator for authenticating information previously stored on the storage medium, the authentication information consisting of a numerical representation of a level of trapped charges representing the reference fingerprint. The read / write units may be connected to a central server which retrieves information from each of the read write units, stores information, and provides various accounting and statistical analyses, as well as reconciling transactions between two or more read / write units. The value stored may represent units of value employed in a customer loyalty program which are stored on the portable media during a sales transaction and then later redeemed for purchase of or discounts on merchandise, a gaming player's points or winnings, or any of a host of types of value related information which may be carried on a portable card.

A purchasing system includes a master server linking to a product and service inventory database. A query and response coordination database is hosted on the master server and includes a customer profiles database, a loyalty program rules database, and a purchase rules dataset. The coordination database receives a purchase request query, extracts purchase data elements from the received purchase request query, uses purchase rules from the rules dataset, applying the extracted purchase data elements to form a purchase query, applies the purchase query to the inventory database to determine available product and service inventory that satisfy the purchase request query, available product and service inventory that satisfy the purchase request query being identified as purchase options, receives purchase options from the inventory database, determines a total rewards benefit and creates a file for sending via the network to the purchaser's computer to display the query response.

A method, system and products thereby for enhanced customer loyalty program with improved access to restaurant information. The system having a server configured to perform operations including storing restaurant data of a participating restaurant in a database and retrieving the restaurant data in response to a search engine command. The server may be further configured to receive electronic notification from the participating restaurant of a qualified purchase transaction associated with a customer account in a customer rewards program. Additionally, the server may be further configured to transfer an award associated with the qualified purchase transaction to the customer account, and process a customer's directive for redeeming the award for use at the participating restaurant.

A method, computer system, and computer program product for encouraging customer loyalty is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) one or more partners defining a loyalty program, the loyalty program defining loyalty rewards, cross-promotional partner rewards and prizes associated with one or more activities; (2) registering one or more members with the loyalty program, whereby their registration includes the provision of registered form of payment data for one or more registered form of payment types of each of the one or more participants; (3) collecting financial data corresponding to transactions of the one or more members associated with the one or more partners, and providing said financial data to a loyalty engine; (4) providing access to the loyalty engine to the one or more members, the loyalty engine permitting the one or more partners: (a) to define the rules defining the loyalty program, including special partner rewards including cross-promotional rewards between partners, loyalty rewards, and chances to win prizes; (b) to monitor the effectiveness of the loyalty program; and (c) to modify the loyalty program to enhance its effectiveness. The computer system includes the loyalty engine of the invention. The computer program product consists of a server application that includes the loyalty engine of the invention. Partners access a number of software utilities linked to the loyalty engine to assess the effectiveness of the loyalty programs and customize the attributes of the loyalty programs to improve effectiveness. Members access the loyalty engine real time and use loyalty reward actions for prize opportunities.

A system and method are disclosed in the illustrative context of a loyalty program (LP) for managing the distribution of currency units (points or miles) from at least one currency issuer (LP manager) to at least a selected one of a plurality of currency recipients (LP members) associated with the currency issuer. The currency issuer maintains an account for keeping the balance of currency units held by each of its currency recipients. The currency user also must approve each primary user to which it issues currency units. The system and method facilitate at least one primary user to acquire currency units from the one currency issuer and to distribute same to selected of the plurality of currency recipients.

A monitoring system for monitoring customer activities within a casino enterprise is described. The monitoring system can be used to determine a current utilization of casino activities so that an optimal mixture of activities can be offered by the casino. Further, the system can be used to identify customers, based on their utilization of the activities, whose loyalty that a casino enterprise may wish to cultivate. In particular embodiments, the monitoring system can be configured to passively track portable wireless devices and associate the portable wireless devices with activities within the casino enterprise that are not attributable to customers registered in a loyalty program. The identity of the person controlling a particular portable device can be unknown. A virtual customer account can be created where the first portable device is used to identify a virtual customer associated with the account. Based upon identification of the first portable device, activities can be associated with the virtual customer and store to the virtual customer account.

A secure point-of-sale (POS) portal architecture for delivering multiple services is provided. According to one exemplary aspect of the architecture, a number of services offered by various parties are integrated for delivery to merchants. The parties offering the services include, for example, payment processors and merchant acquirers and other external value-added service providers. The integrated services, in turn, are offered to merchants and / or their respective customers via one or more POS devices and its supporting system infrastructure at the merchant locations. The integrated services include, for example, acceptance of multiple payment instruments, payment processing, user dialog management, sales promotion and customer support, loyalty programs, back office processing, receipt capture, employee training, risk management, dispute resolution, system security, system administration etc. Moreover, these integrated services may be customized based on a merchant's particular requirements to provide a specific environment for delivering these services.

A gaming machine comprising a non-physical contact data interface is described. The non-physical contact data interface may be capable of reading loyalty program data from a loyalty program instrument without contact between the loyalty program instrument and the non-physical contact data interface. The non-physical contact data interface may be one of a bill validator, a bar-code reader and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader. The loyalty program instrument may be a substrate including at least one of a 1-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a 2-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a symbol printed on the substrate, alpha-numeric character printed on the substrate, a RFID tag embedded in the substrate, a RFID tag printed on the substrate and combinations thereof. The loyalty program instrument may be used to store an index to a record in a database or a portable data file.

The invention includes computer program products, devices and systems that monitor replaceable memory availability on a mobile terminal device or accessory availability for a mobile terminal device and, based on predetermined thresholds, generate purchasing options for the replaceable memory or accessory. In this regard, the invention is able to provide a mobile terminal user options to purchase additional replaceable memory or accessories when the memory is close to capacity or when the accessory is either exhausted or has become commercially available. The purchasing options that are presented to the user will typically take into account best prices for the memory, both at retail locations and online locations, as well as, user specific purchasing criteria, such as acceptable price range, loyalty program membership, preferred vendors and location of the user and / or the mobile terminal. In addition, the purchasing options that are provided to the user may be such that they are preconfigured by the user to automatically purchase additional memory or an accessory if a certain threshold of memory or accessory capacity is exceeded.