Patent ID: 7778868
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A data network system for providing awards to consumers for participation in promotion programs that are accessed through a network, the system comprising: one or more client-user devices having a client application module for communication over the network; one or more merchant devices including a merchant application module for communication over the network; an application service provider device coupled to the one or more merchant devices and having a local database for storing promotional content information regarding the promotion programs, the application service provider device being adapted to distribute the promotional content information regarding the promotion programs to the one or more merchant devices so that the consumers are allowed to participate in the promotion programs at the one or more client-user devices; and a promotion server device having a communication server module for communication over the network, a transaction history database for storing award transaction information relating to the promotion programs, and a processor coupled to the transaction history database and operable to perform the steps of: receiving a request from a selected consumer at a client-user device to redeem at least a portion of awards earned by the selected consumer that are included in the transaction history database; and determining an authentication level required from the selected consumer to redeem the at least a portion of the awards, wherein the authentication level is determined from the award transaction information associated with the selected consumer that is maintained in the transaction history database.