Patent ID: 7424441
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for operating an integrated stored-value and loyalty program within a financial infrastructure, the method comprising: receiving, at a loyalty host computer from a first point-of-sale terminal, an identifier and a packet of transaction information defining a first transaction between a first merchant and a customer; identifying, with the loyalty host computer, qualifying aspects of the first transaction from the packet of transaction information; determining, with the loyalty host computer, a customer reward from the identified qualifying aspects and a history of information defined by the identifier; transmitting information defining the reward from the loyalty host computer to a stored-value host computer different from the loyalty host computer; determining a set of stored-value parameters with the stored-value host computer from the information defining the reward; storing the set of stored-value parameters as a record at the stored-value host computer; receiving, at the stored-value host computer from a second point-of-sale terminal, the identifier and a transaction amount for a second transaction between a second merchant and the customer, wherein the second transaction is different from the first transaction and is initiated at a point in time later than the first transaction is initiated; identifying, with the stored-value host computer, the set of stored-value parameters from the identifier; translating, with the stored-value host computer, the set of stored-value parameters into a value amount; applying, with the stored-value host computer, at least a portion of the value amount to the transaction amount; and transmitting, from the stored-value host computer to the second point-of-sale terminal, a modified transaction amount as an amount to be used in effecting the second transaction.