EP0815524A4 - Debit card system and method for implementing incentive award program - Google Patents
Debit card system and method for implementing incentive award programInfo
- Publication number
- EP0815524A4 EP0815524A4 EP96909769A EP96909769A EP0815524A4 EP 0815524 A4 EP0815524 A4 EP 0815524A4 EP 96909769 A EP96909769 A EP 96909769A EP 96909769 A EP96909769 A EP 96909769A EP 0815524 A4 EP0815524 A4 EP 0815524A4
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- transaction
- data
- initiating
- account
- merchant
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
- G07F7/02—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by keys or other credit registering devices
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/02—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/02—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
- G06Q20/023—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP] the neutral party being a clearing house
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/04—Payment circuits
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/30—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks
- G06Q20/34—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
- G06Q20/343—Cards including a counter
- G06Q20/3437—Cards including a counter the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
Definitions
- the invention relates to a computer and data processing system for implementing an incentive award program and, in particular, a system which employs debit cards allowing participants to purchase rewards by electronic debit transactions.
- Motivational programs are well-known in the prior art. In general, such programs have been administered by incentive companies which have contracted with a sponsoring company for providing a motivational or incentive program to promote the sales of the sponsoring company's products or services or to improve the performance of the sponsoring company's personnel. Based on various criteria, such as a participant's performance, the participant accumulates points over a period of time. Computer programming and data processing have been used to report to the participants the number of points that have been achieved at certain periods of time during the program. When the participant decides to take advantage of the awarded points, the participant is generally provided with a voucher or other document which entitles the participant to obtain products or services.
- the invention comprises a system for implementing an incentive award program for a customer having participants.
- the program permits the participants to obtain as a award products and/or services from authorized merchants who are part of the incentive award program and who are part of a credit/debit card network.
- the credit card network also includes unauthorized merchants who are not part of the incentive award program and who are part of a credit card network.
- Each merchant has access via an input/output (I/O) port to a credit/debit card network processor of transactions.
- the system comprises a plurality of debit cards, a filter processor and software, responsive to a debit transaction initiated by a merchant using an initiating card having an initiating account number, for transmitting debit transaction data from the credit card network processor to the filter processor.
- Each debit card is assigned to one participant and has a unique account number corresponding to an award account of the participant.
- the filter processor accesses the following program data: data identifying the authorized unique account numbers of the participants, data identifying the authorized merchants, and data indicating the balance in each participant's award account.
- the filter processor interfaces with the credit card network processor.
- the credit card network processor has software responsive to a transaction initiated by a merchant using an initiating card having an initiating account number, for transmitting to the filter processor the following debit transaction data: the initiating account number of the card initiating the debit transaction, merchant identification data of the initiating merchant, and data regarding the amount of the initiated debit transaction.
- the filter processor includes software for evaluating the debit transaction data transmitted to the filter processor by the credit card network processor by comparing the debit transaction data to the program data.
- the filter processor evaluating software includes software for generating validating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the debit transaction has been initiated by an authorized merchant using the unique account number of a participant having a sufficient balance in the participant's corresponding award account to cover the debit transaction.
- the filter processor evaluating software includes software for generating invalidating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the initiating account number is not one of the authorized account numbers.
- the filter processor evaluating software includes software for generating invalidating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the initiating merchant is not one of the authorized merchants.
- the filter processor evaluating software includes software for generating invalidating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the balance in the award account corresponding to the initiating account number is insufficient to cover the amount of the initiated debit transaction.
- the filter processor includes software for * transmitting the validating or invalidating data to the credit card network processor.
- the credit card network processor provides the validating or invalidating data for the evaluated debit transaction to the initiating merchant.
- Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention illustrating the hardware components and their interconnection.
- Figures 2 and 3 are flow charts illustrating the decision steps of the invention as implemented by the various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a pre-authorization debit transaction.
- Figures 4A and 4B are flow charts illustrating the decision steps of the invention as implemented by the various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a force post debit transaction.
- FIGS. 5A and 5B are flow charts illustrating the decision steps of the invention as implemented by the various hardware components shown in Figure 1 during a settlement/commissions debit transaction.
- Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of data within a system according to the invention.
- Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
- Debit card system 100 implements an incentive award program managed by an administrator for a customer having participants who are part of the incentive award program.
- an incentive award program may be any incentive plan or policy used to encourage or reward the participant, the participant's performance, the participant's use of particular merchants which sell goods and/or services, or a combination of these.
- loyalty, frequency, affinity, retention, or performance improvement programs are referred to as loyalty, frequency, affinity, retention, or performance improvement programs. This is because such programs encourage or improve participant loyalty, affinity, retention, quality of performance or frequency of performance.
- the program permits the participants to obtain as a motivational award products and/or services from authorized merchants who are part of the incentive award program.
- authorized merchants have a contractual and/or business relationship with the administrator and have agreed to participate in the incentive award program and the handling of debit transactions and commissions as described in more detail below.
- the debit card system 100 of the invention may be preferably implemented as part of a pre-existing credit card network 102 in which the authorized merchants participate.
- Such credit card networks tend to be worldwide and rather extensive so that it is contemplated that such networks may also include unauthorized merchants who are not part of and who are not participating in the incentive award program but who are a part of and who are participating in the credit card network.
- credit card network 102 implements the debit card system 100 and includes a credit card network processor 104 having a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports 106 which would form the credit card network by interconnecting merchants 108, 110 and 112, such as by phone lines.
- I/O input/output
- merchant 108 is an authorized merchant having a card reader which accesses the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 106A.
- Merchant 110 is also an authorized merchant having access to the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 106B by call-in access. In other words, merchant 110 places a call to a third party having access to the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 106B by computer or some other known technique.
- Merchant 112 is illustrated as an unauthorized merchant meaning merchant 112 is not a part of the incentive award program. As illustrated, merchant 112 has access to credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 106C by a card reader. It is also contemplated that other authorized and unauthorized merchants are a part of the credit card network 102.
- the debit card system 100 includes a plurality of debit cards 114. Each debit card 114 is considered unique and is assigned to one participant of the incentive award program. Each debit card 114 has a unique account number which is generally printed on the card such as by raised lettering and may also be encoded on a magnetic strip which is part of the debit card. This unique account number corresponds to an award account of the participant.
- the award account is the vehicle by which the customer rewards its participants with points which allow the participants to take advantage of the incentive award debit card system 100. In general, debit cards are very different and distinguishable from credit cards.
- Credit cards are a type of credit instrument such as credit accounts which allow users to buy products and/or services by drawing against their established credit line and repaying the bank or other institution which advances the credit.
- debit cards are a type of debit instrument similar to checking accounts or other account systems which allow users to conveniently spend pre-existing cash assets which are deposited in advance by the user in the debit accounts. Any time a user would like to spend some of the deposited cash, a debit instrument such as a debit card is used to transfer a portion of the deposited cash assets to a particular merchant in exchange for products and/or services obtained by the user.
- a debit card offers the services of an account from which funds or points can be withdrawn without the need for paper to effectuate the debit transaction.
- a filter processor 116 which would preferably be supplied by and controlled by a bank or other financial institution.
- the filter processor 116 interfaces with the credit card network processor 104 via an I/O port 118 such as a phone line or radio frequency link.
- the credit card network 102 may be any well-known commercial network such as the Mastercard credit card network or the Visa Card credit card network and filter processor 116 may be any of a plurality of financial institutions affiliated with and linked to such networks for administering credit cards issued by the financial institution.
- filter processor 116 would be provided with data identifying the authorized unique credit card account numbers of credit cards issued by the financial institution.
- filter processor 116 also accesses program data including data identifying the authorized unique account numbers of the participants of the incentive award program. Each unique account number has been assigned to one particular participant and that participant's debit card or cards bears the assigned unique account number, which account number corresponds to the award account of the participant.
- the filter processor accesses program data including data identifying the authorized merchants 108 and 110.
- This merchant identification data which is part of the program data forms a significant aspect of the debit card system 100 of the invention. This merchant identification data is not normally needed to process credit card transactions because for each credit card transaction, it is assumed that all merchants that access the credit card network 102 are part of the credit card system. In contrast, all merchants may not be part of the debit card system 100 of the invention. If there are more authorized merchants than unauthorized merchants, such merchant identification data may take the form of a list of unauthorized merchants.
- the filter processor 116 accesses program data including data indicating the balance of each participant's award account. This balance is controlled and maintained by the customer and would have a point value which is converted into a currency value in the course of a debit transaction, as will be explained in greater detail below.
- the program data may be accessible to the filter processor 116 via an I/O port 120 which interconnects the filter processor 116 to a host processor 122 of the administrator.
- the program data may be provided to the filter processor 116 on a real time and/or batch basis.
- an intermediary processor 124 of the administrator may be located between terminals 126 for implementing the system of the invention and the host processor 122. The intermediary processor 124 would allow the administrator to generate reports and otherwise manipulate the program data independent of the host processor 122 and independent of the I/O port 120 which interconnects the host processor 122 to the filter processor 116.
- processors 116, 122, and 124 may be a single processor computer.
- the customer may be both the administrator and/or the bank.
- a debit transaction is initiated by a merchant using an initiating card having an initiating account number.
- the initiating card may be one of the debit cards 114 of the debit card system 100 or may be some other type of card, such as a credit card, which is not a part of the debit card system 100 but which may be used with the credit card network processor 104 to access a card user's credit.
- credit cards and debit cards may have the same physical appearance and structure. Therefore, an initiating merchant may choose not to determine whether the initiating card is one of the debit cards 114 of the system or some other card. Therefore, the debit transaction is transparent to the initiating merchants to the extent that the initiating merchant does not have to distinguish between debit transactions using the debit card and transactions using a credit card and can process both debit card transactions and credit card transactions in the same manner.
- debit transaction data is provided to the credit card network processor 104 via one of the I/O ports 106.
- authorized merchant 108 may initiate a debit transaction by using its card reader to read the initiating card and provide card identification information via I/O port 106A. Simultaneously therewith, merchant identification is also provided to the credit card network processor 104.
- the initiating merchant also provides data indicating the amount of the initiating debit transaction.
- debit transaction data is transmitted from the credit card network processor to the filter processor.
- this transmission process is accomplished by a means such as software executed by the credit card processor which provides the debit transaction data via I/O port 118.
- the filter processor 116 is provided with program data from the host processor 122 via I/O port 120 and is also provided with debit transaction data from the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 118.
- the filter processor 116 includes means, such as software executed by the filter processor for evaluating the debit transaction data transmitted to the filter processor 116 by the credit card network processor 118 by comparing the debit transaction data to the program data.
- This filter processor evaluating means or software includes means or software for generating validating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the debit transaction has been initiated by an authorized merchant 108, 110 using the unique account number of one of the participants having a sufficient balance in the participant's corresponding award account to cover the debit transaction.
- the validating data may be in the form of a signal provided to the merchant indicating that the debit transaction has been "APPROVED.”
- the filter processor evaluating means or software generates invalidating data in response to the initiated debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the initiating account number is not one of the authorized account numbers.
- the validating data may be in the form of a signal provided to the merchant indicating that the debit transaction has been
- the initiating account number may be a credit card account number.
- Credit card account numbers are not part of the participant account numbers defined by the program data which is stored in host processor 122 and provided via I/O port 120 to filter processor 116. Initiating a transaction using such a credit card account number would result in invalidating data being generated.
- the filter processor evaluating software also includes means or software for generating invalidating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the initiating merchant is not one of the authorized merchants. For example, if unauthorized merchant 112 initiated a debit transaction, merchant 112 would not have an identification number which is part of the list of authorized merchants of the program data. Therefore, invalidating data for the debit transaction would be generated.
- the filter processor evaluating means or software also includes means or software for generating invalidating data for the debit transaction when the evaluated debit transaction data indicates that the balance in the award account corresponding to the initiating account number is insufficient to cover the amount of the initiated debit transaction.
- a debit card 114 of the debit card system 100 is used to initiate the debit transaction and that such initiating card has a participating account number which has been provided to the filter processor 116 by the host processor.
- host processor 112 would provide the participant award account balance in points.
- the filter processor 116 would convert these points to a dollar value as shown in Figure 3. If the converted dollar value does not equal or exceed the dollar value of the initiating debit transaction, invalidating data is provided to the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 118.
- the filter processor may convert the points into any currency denomination which corresponds to the currency denomination of the initiated debit transaction.
- the filter processor also includes means or software for transmitting the validating or invalidating data to the credit card network processor 104 via I/O port 118 so that the credit card network processor provides the validating or invalidating data for the evaluated debit transaction to the initiating merchant via I/O port 106.
- a complete debit transaction according to the invention has three parts which preferably occur in the following order: a pre-authorization process including the conversion of points to a currency, such as illustrated in Figures 2A, 2B, and 3; a force post process such as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B; and a settlements/ commissions process such as illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B.
- the process begins with a merchant 108, 110 or 112 initiating a debit transaction at step 202.
- the merchant submits the authorization debit transaction including the debit transaction data to the credit card network 102 at step 204.
- the processor 104 Upon contacting the network 102 via one of the I/O ports 106, the processor 104 is able to determine the identity of the initiating merchant and forwards the merchant's identification data with the authorization debit transaction data at step 206.
- step 206 forwards a merchant identification number with the debit transaction as a fraud prevention measure.
- the identification number may be any number or code, such as a number assigned by processor 130, which uniquely identifies each merchant.
- the ICA Interbank Card Association
- the identification number may include merchant location information to further identify each location.
- This location information may be a number or code which distinguishes each location.
- Such location information would be particularly useful in cases where a single merchant may have multiple locations and not all locations are authorized merchants which have the authority to access the debit card system 100 of the invention. For example, a hotel may have a registration desk location, a gift shop location and a restuarant location and only the gift shop location may be authorized to access the debit card system 100.
- the merchant identification information would include location information and the filter processor 116 would be programmed to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized locations as well as being programmed to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized merchants.
- the merchant identification number (such as the ICA number) and/or a merchant location number have not been uniquely assigned. In such systems, such numbers would have to be modified to be standardized and unique so that such numbers may be used as part of the debit card system 100 and so that such numbers may be filtered by filter processor 116.
- the processor 104 transmits the authorization debit transaction data including the ICA and merchant numbers to the filter processor 116 of the bank via I/O port 118 by step 208.
- the filter processor 116 receives the authorization debit transaction data at step 210 and begins its analysis thereof.
- filter processor 116 evaluates a prefix of the initiating card identification number to determine whether the initiating card is a debit card. In general, it is contemplated that debit card account numbers would have a different prefix than credit card and other card account numbers. If the initiating card is not a debit card as defined by its prefix, the process proceeds to step 214 to generate invalidating data because the process is employing a non-debit card. If step 212 determines that the initiating card is a debit card, the process proceeds to step 216 to confirm that the initiating merchant is one of the authorized merchants defined by the program data, i.e., ICA/merchant data is part of program data.
- step 218 the process proceeds to step 218 to indicate invalidating data because the initiating merchant is not a merchant taking part in the incentive award program and, therefore, does not have the right to use the debit card. If the initiating merchant is an authorized merchant, the process proceeds to step 220 to determine whether or not the initiating debit card has a valid debit card account number as defined by the program data. If the initiating card does not, the process proceeds to step 222 to generate invalidating data because that the debit card account number is not part of the program data.
- step 224 evaluates the DDA (demand deposit account) portion of the initiating account number. If the DDA portion is invalid, the process proceeds to step 226 to generate invalidating data because of an invalid DDA account number. If the DDA account is valid, the process proceeds to step 228 to determine the number of points available for the particular account number. If the number of points when converted to a currency does not equal or exceed the value of the initiating debit transaction, the process proceeds to step 230 to generate invalidating data because of insufficient points to complete the debit transaction. The process continues with Figure 3. If sufficient points are available to cover the debit transaction, the process proceeds to step 236 to debit the account balance. After step 236, the process proceeds to step 238 to generate validating data provided by the filter processor 116 via I/O port 118 to the processor 104 and eventually to the initiating merchant.
- step 238 evaluates validating data provided by the filter processor 116 via I/O port 118 to the processor 104 and eventually to the initiating merchant.
- Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the force post process which generally occurs 24/48 hours after the completion of the pre-authorization process of Figure 2 which resulted in the generation of validating data and a completed debit transaction.
- the merchant completes the debit transaction at step 402 and more particularly at step 404 by submitting a debit card force post debit transaction to processor/acquirer 130 (see Fig. 1).
- the merchant's processor/acquirer submits the force post debit transaction through the credit card network 102 generally by access via a separate I/O port such as I/O port 106D (Fig. 1) .
- the credit card network processor 104 forwards the ICA and merchant data with force post debit transaction.
- the credit card network 102 sends the force post debit transaction data including the ICA and merchant number to the filter processor 116 of the bank.
- steps 412, 414, 420, 422, 424, and 425 parallel and essentially duplicate steps 212, 214, 220, 222, 224, and 226 of Figure 2A.
- the force post debit transaction is a debit card having a valid card number and a valid DDA account
- the process proceeds to step 426 which permanently adjusts the participant's point balance account and to step 427 which converts the force post point value to dollars.
- step 428 to confirm that sufficient funds (converted from points) are available in the administrator's account to cover the debit transaction.
- step 430 the process proceeds to step 430 to invalidate the debit transaction for insufficient funds. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 432 to determine whether the debit transaction is a credit (refund) or debit. If it is a credit, step 434 is executed to credit the administrator's dollar account balance. Otherwise, steps 436 and 438 are executed to debit the administrator's dollar account balance against the participating award account balance and complete the processing of the force post debit transaction.
- step 432 determines whether the debit transaction is a credit (refund) or debit. If it is a credit, step 434 is executed to credit the administrator's dollar account balance. Otherwise, steps 436 and 438 are executed to debit the administrator's dollar account balance against the participating award account balance and complete the processing of the force post debit transaction.
- the settlements/commissions process begins with the administrator receiving a redemption file from the bank at step 502 indicating the details of completed force post debit transactions. These completed debit transactions now become settlement transactions which are processed at step 504 by loading the redemption file into the administrator's processor 122 or 124. The supplier's profile is looked up at step 506. If no profile is found at step 508, the settlement transaction is processed as an exception to the redemption file at step 510. Otherwise, the process proceeds with step 512 in which the administrator's processor looks up the commission percentage from the supplier's profile.
- the administrator's processor calculates the commission due to the administrator at step 514, looks up the billing method from the supplier profile at step 516, creates a settlement/commission detail report at step 518, and determines the type of billing method at step 520. If the billing method is not a manual billing method, the process proceeds to step 522 to execute a process automated clearing house (ACH) billing method. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 524 to create a manual invoice, then to step 526 to attach an invoice to the settlement/ commission report and finally to step 528, which also proceeds after step 522, to mail the settlement commission report to the supplier/merchant.
- ACH process automated clearing house
- Figure 6 illustrates the data flow between the administrator's processors 122, 124, the filter processor 116 of the bank, the credit card network 102 including the I/O ports 106 and the credit card network processor 104, the merchants 108, 110, 112, and the acquirer/processor 130.
- Figure 6 illustrates the customer to indicate that the customer provides enrollment, issuance, and points information to the administrator.
- the participant with debit card 114 is illustrated to show that the participant initiates travel/merchandise orders and receives a periodic account statement from the information that is in the filter processor.
- the debit card system 100 may have several optional features.
- the administrator may have a commission account and via an automated clearing house may debit a transaction commission amount for each validated debit transaction to the commission account of the program administrator while crediting the transaction commission amount to an account of the initiating merchant.
- the credit card network processor 104 may deduct the commission amount credited to the initiating merchant from the merchant's proceeds from the validated debit transaction.
- the debit cards may be embossed with information identifying the customer so that whenever a participant uses a debit card the participant is reminded that such card provides rewards which have been supplied by the customer.
- Figure 6 may also be generated by the debit card system 100.
- the filter processor 116 may generate redemption reports for each merchant indicating debit card transactions by participants.
- the filter processor 116 generates a rewards account report for each participant indicating debit transactions by such participant and indicating the amount of points in such participant's award account.
- the filter processor 116 may delete from the program data authorized unique account numbers which have not initiated a debit transaction for a predetermined period of time, e.g., six months.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US40869095A | 1995-03-21 | 1995-03-21 | |
US408690 | 1995-03-21 | ||
PCT/US1996/003724 WO1996029668A1 (en) | 1995-03-21 | 1996-03-20 | Debit card system and method for implementing incentive award program |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP0815524A1 EP0815524A1 (en) | 1998-01-07 |
EP0815524A4 true EP0815524A4 (en) | 2002-05-15 |
Family
ID=23617332
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP96909769A Ceased EP0815524A4 (en) | 1995-03-21 | 1996-03-20 | Debit card system and method for implementing incentive award program |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP0815524A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH11502647A (en) |
AU (1) | AU691109B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR9607787A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2215969C (en) |
MX (1) | MX9707051A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1996029668A1 (en) |
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EP1207505A1 (en) * | 2000-11-15 | 2002-05-22 | TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (publ) | Method for payment, user equipment, server, payment system and computer programme product |
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WO1989011130A1 (en) * | 1988-05-04 | 1989-11-16 | Humble David Raymond | Generic transaction account system |
US5025372A (en) * | 1987-09-17 | 1991-06-18 | Meridian Enterprises, Inc. | System and method for administration of incentive award program through use of credit |
US5056019A (en) * | 1989-08-29 | 1991-10-08 | Citicorp Pos Information Servies, Inc. | Automated purchase reward accounting system and method |
US5223699A (en) * | 1990-11-05 | 1993-06-29 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Recording and billing system |
US5255182A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1993-10-19 | Visa International Service Association | Payment card point-of-sale service quality monitoring system, apparatus, and method |
US5256863A (en) * | 1991-11-05 | 1993-10-26 | Comark Technologies, Inc. | In-store universal control system |
US5287268A (en) * | 1989-01-27 | 1994-02-15 | Mccarthy Patrick D | Centralized consumer cash value accumulation system for multiple merchants |
US5321243A (en) * | 1992-02-18 | 1994-06-14 | International Verifact Inc. | Card reader apparatus with read head mounting structure and card guide |
GB2274349A (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 1994-07-20 | Htec Ltd | Retailing system |
US5336870A (en) * | 1992-05-26 | 1994-08-09 | Hughes Thomas S | System for remote purchase payment transactions and remote bill payments |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4941090A (en) * | 1989-01-27 | 1990-07-10 | Mccarthy Patrick D | Centralized consumer cash value accumulation system for multiple merchants |
-
1996
- 1996-03-20 MX MX9707051A patent/MX9707051A/en unknown
- 1996-03-20 AU AU53161/96A patent/AU691109B2/en not_active Expired
- 1996-03-20 BR BR9607787A patent/BR9607787A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-03-20 WO PCT/US1996/003724 patent/WO1996029668A1/en active Application Filing
- 1996-03-20 JP JP8528559A patent/JPH11502647A/en active Pending
- 1996-03-20 EP EP96909769A patent/EP0815524A4/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-03-20 CA CA002215969A patent/CA2215969C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5025372A (en) * | 1987-09-17 | 1991-06-18 | Meridian Enterprises, Inc. | System and method for administration of incentive award program through use of credit |
WO1989011130A1 (en) * | 1988-05-04 | 1989-11-16 | Humble David Raymond | Generic transaction account system |
US5287268A (en) * | 1989-01-27 | 1994-02-15 | Mccarthy Patrick D | Centralized consumer cash value accumulation system for multiple merchants |
US5056019A (en) * | 1989-08-29 | 1991-10-08 | Citicorp Pos Information Servies, Inc. | Automated purchase reward accounting system and method |
US5223699A (en) * | 1990-11-05 | 1993-06-29 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Recording and billing system |
US5256863A (en) * | 1991-11-05 | 1993-10-26 | Comark Technologies, Inc. | In-store universal control system |
US5255182A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1993-10-19 | Visa International Service Association | Payment card point-of-sale service quality monitoring system, apparatus, and method |
US5321243A (en) * | 1992-02-18 | 1994-06-14 | International Verifact Inc. | Card reader apparatus with read head mounting structure and card guide |
US5336870A (en) * | 1992-05-26 | 1994-08-09 | Hughes Thomas S | System for remote purchase payment transactions and remote bill payments |
GB2274349A (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 1994-07-20 | Htec Ltd | Retailing system |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of WO9629668A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0815524A1 (en) | 1998-01-07 |
CA2215969A1 (en) | 1996-09-26 |
AU691109B2 (en) | 1998-05-07 |
MX9707051A (en) | 1997-11-29 |
BR9607787A (en) | 1998-07-07 |
WO1996029668A1 (en) | 1996-09-26 |
AU5316196A (en) | 1996-10-08 |
JPH11502647A (en) | 1999-03-02 |
CA2215969C (en) | 2002-10-08 |
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