Patent ID: 6138911
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
A computer implemented real-time consumer transaction point accumulation system in which a consumer earns and accumulates points immediately in centralized data storage for transactions at any one of a plurality of participating retailer outlets networked to a host incentive award system, the system comprising:(a) at least one participating retailer outlet system including:(i) a local processor;(ii) local data storage electrically coupled to said local processor,(iii) data input means electrically coupled to said local processor for receiving consumer account identity data and consumer account requests; and(iv) a local communicator electrically coupled to said local processor for transmitting requests for consumer account data;(b) a host incentive award system having at least:(i) a host processor;(ii) the centralized data storage electrically coupled to said host processor, the centralized data storage including a plurality of consumer records, wherein each consumer record includes at least a consumer point balance;(iii) a host communicator electrically coupled to said host processor for receiving requests for said consumer account data, said host communicator transmitting at least said point balance to said participating retailer outlet system;(c) wherein said participating retailer outlet system processes each consumer transaction during the consumer visit to the participating retailer outlet to determine points earned and causes said point balance in the centralized data storage to be immediately updated by adding said points earned to said point balance in the centralized data storage.