System and method for monitoring activities in a digital channel

The system may be configured to determine, via a verification and monitoring module, identity information for a user in a channel. The system may monitor activity information in the channel. The activity information may be analyzed to determine that the activity information corresponds to an activity associated with the user. The system may also analyze the activity information to determine that the activity information is associated with an item in the channel. The system may identify the item. The system may also initiate, via a transaction processing system, a transaction for the item in response to the analyzing the activity information.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to activities in digital channels, and more specifically, to associating activities in digital channels with one or more transaction accounts to provide rewards, discounts, and/or purchasing opportunities.

BACKGROUND

Traditional purchasing channels often limit a consumer's ability to purchase goods and services. These channels typically require consumers to visit brick and mortar businesses or e-commerce sites. As such, there is a need to provide non-traditional purchasing channels for a consumer to purchase goods and services.

SUMMARY

The systems, methods and computer program products (collectively “system”) described herein allow a digital channel to be augmented or supplemented to become a payment channel. The system may be configured to perform operations including determining, by a computer based system and via a verification and monitoring module, identity information for a user in a channel. The system may monitor, by the computer based system, activity information in the channel. The activity information may be analyzed to determine that the activity information corresponds to an activity associated with the user. The system may also analyze, by the computer based system, the activity information to determine that the activity information is associated with an item in the channel. The system may identify, by the computer based system, the item. The system may also initiate, by the computer based system and via a transaction processing system, a transaction for the item in response to the analyzing the activity information.

In various embodiments, the system may also transmit, by the computer based system, a module for the channel. The module may be installed to allow the authentication information to be collected through the channel and communicated from the channel to the verification and monitoring module. The verification and monitoring module may be configured to confirm the identity of the user, in response to the authentication information being communicated through the module. The module may be configured to validate user information associated with a transaction account and a user. In various embodiments, the module may be configured to enable a purchase of the item with the transaction account in the channel based on the activity information for the user in the channel. The module may also be configured to capture activity information in the channel. The module may be configured to monitor selector activity by a user in the channel.

In various embodiments, the activity information may correspond to movement of a selector in the channel. The activity information may also correspond to a selection in the channel. The channel may be a proprietary channel. The channel may also be a non-proprietary channel.

In various embodiments, the systems described herein are generally configured to monitor actions in digital channels. The system may associate a transaction account with a digital channel profile. Based on the association, the system may compare an action associated with the digital channel profile to criteria. If the action satisfies the criteria, the system may initiate a transaction based on the action at least partially satisfying the criteria. The system may then transmit transaction information for an item in response to the satisfying.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As e-commerce and digital activities grow and the boundaries of the virtual marketplace and virtual world disappear, consumers are looking for ways to more easily conduct transactions (e.g., purchases or obtaining items from merchants) or take actions associated with transactions (e.g., spend verified activities and/or reviews). As a result, merchants, payment processors, entertainment providers and other similarly situated entities are also looking for new ways to attract consumers. To allow users to more easily purchase the items they desire or require, entities are looking to provide alternatives to traditional point of sale interfaces that require payment tokens (e.g., credit/charge/debit cards, NFC, fobs, and the like) or virtual payment terminals that require consumers to provide transaction account information. Further, spend verification of activities allows a user to verify activities by confirming that the user's action associated with the activity is associated with an actual transaction for an item.

The systems described herein allow any digital channel to be augmented or supplemented to become a payment channel. In operation, the system is capable of syncing or associating a consumer's channel profile with a consumer's transaction account. The information to sync the profile and the transaction account may be captured in the channel, by the transaction account issuer (e.g., at the transaction account issuer website), or by a third party service. In response to the transaction account and the profile being synced, the system may track consumer activities in the digital channel. If an activity satisfies or meets some criteria (e.g., a transaction initiation), the system may initiate an action associated with the transaction account. The system may, for example, initiate a transaction with a merchant, trigger a digital channel to request a review associated with a recently purchased item or service experience, provide a reward based on an in channel accomplishment, and/or the like.

The systems provide a seamless experience for consumers in various digital channels (e.g., social media channels and entertainment channels) by allowing consumers to initiate purchases, earn rewards and provide feedback, without the necessity to leave a channel to engage a traditional payment channel (e.g., a brick and mortar merchant location, an e-commerce site, and/or the like). In this way, the systems consolidate payment channels and digital channels to provide a platform for social commerce. The systems provide flexibility and efficiency for consumers and merchants by allowing them to connect and transact in any channel. Further, the systems allow channel providers to reward consumers and request feedback. As such, these various systems provide consumers, merchants and channel providers with the flexibility to engage in social commerce in any suitable channel. In the context of a social media channel (e.g., Twitter), the systems may be configured to allow purchases based on an activity in the social media channel (e.g., a Tweet). In response to a sync between the social media channel and the transaction account, a user may broadcast a predefined indicator (e.g., a hashtag) that triggers the system to initiate a purchase. The synced transaction account may be charged for the initiated purchase and that item associated with the purchase may be provided to the user.

In various embodiments and as used herein, a digital channel may be any suitable channel available to a user over a network, including for example, a social media channel, an entertainment channel, a service channel, a review channel, a service scheduling channel, and/or the like. The channel may include a user interface and user account that may be created by a user. Moreover, the user may be able to access the digital channel through a web client on any suitable electronic device. The digital channel may also be considered a non-traditional purchasing channel (e.g., a channel where information about an item may be present, but where the ability to purchase the item is not traditionally available such as, for example, an item page in a social media channel where information about an item is available).

In various embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer program products (collectively, the “system”) described herein may be capable of executing purchases for items, initiating transactions, providing purchase instructions, providing transaction instructions, and/or the like through digital channels (e.g., entertainment channels, social media channels, marketing channels, advertisements, and the like). The system may sync, link, or otherwise associate a transaction account with a consumer in the channel. In response to the association, the system may track and/or receive information from a digital channel indicative of an activity with a consumer in the channel. If the activity corresponds to a purchase opportunity, the system may initiate a purchase or provide purchase instructions associated with the purchase opportunity. A merchant associated with the purchase opportunity may process the initiation or instructions. In response to the initiation or instructions complying with the terms of the purchase opportunity, the merchant may provide the item to the consumer and receive payment from the associated transaction account. For example, in a broadcast channel such as Twitter, the system may track or receive broadcasts (e.g., tweets) from consumers who have associated their transaction accounts with the broadcast channel. The system may analyze the content of the broadcast to identify a predetermined purchase indicator (e.g., a hashtag). In response to the broadcast including the purchase indicator, the system may initiate or provide instructions to a merchant to initiate a transaction and provide an item to the consumer. The system may require that the consumer confirm that the broadcast was intended to initiate a transaction for an item. As such, the system allows the consumer to purchase an item based on a broadcast and without have to use a traditional merchant channel (e.g., a brick and mortar location, a merchant or third party e-commerce site, and/or the like).

As used herein, a “merchant” may be any person or entity capable of providing a service or an item. A merchant may distribute the item in any way, for example, by exchanging the item for payment. The merchant may be capable of accepting the payment through any suitable payment channel including traditional payment channels including, for example, POS terminals, online payments terminals, transaction account networks and the like. The merchant may also accept payment through non-traditional payment terminals including, for example, social media channels, person to person payments. Further information about person to person payments is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/640,216, entitled Systems and Methods for Transferring Value via a Social Network, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for any purpose.

In various embodiments and with reference toFIG. 1A, a purchasing system100may comprise a verification and monitoring module110, a transaction processing system120, and an inventory database130. The various components, systems, databases and modules of system100may be coupled to a network105. System100may be operatively coupled to and/or in electronic communication with user device140. User device140may be any suitable user device. Moreover, user device140may comprise a suitable browser and/or micro app that are configured to display an electronic channel.

In various embodiments, verification and monitoring module110may be in electronic communication with any one of transaction processing system120, inventory database130, user device140, and/or the like. Similarly, transaction processing system120and/or inventory database130may be in electronic communication with each other, verification and monitoring module110, and/or user device140. In this way, system100is an electronic communication system that is configured to connect a distributed computing system via network105. This allows system100to create a commerce channel in any suitable channel. This transformation changes the nature of an electronic communication channel, namely, by giving it secondary functionality (e.g., any electronic channel can be an electronic marketplace). Moreover, the transformation provides merchants, transaction account issuers, and users to communicate, interact, and/or transact in non-traditional ways.

In various embodiments, network105may be an open network a closed loop network. The open network may be a network that is accessible by various third parties. In this regard, the open network may be the internet, a typical transaction network, and/or the like. Network105may also be closed network. In this regard, network105may be a closed loop network like the network operated by American Express. Moreover, the closed loop network may be configured with enhanced security and monitoring capability. For example, the closed network may be configured with tokenization, associated domain controls, and/or other enhanced security protocols. In this regard, network105may be configured to monitor users on network105. In this regard, the closed loop network may be a secure and may be an environment that can be monitored, has enhanced security features.

In various embodiments and with reference toFIG. 1B, user device140may be any suitable user device including, for example, a computer, a tablet, an internet enabled smartphone, and/or the like. User device140may be in electronic communication with a public channel150and/or a proprietary channel160. Public channel150may be, for example, a web browser, a social media network, a third party micro-app, and/or the like. Proprietary channel160may be a proprietary application, website, interface, and/or the like. In this regard, proprietary channel160may be operated and/or provided by a transaction account issuer or a partner integrated with the transaction account issuer.

In various embodiments and with reference toFIG. 1AandFIG. 1B, public channel150may be operatively coupled to and/or in electronic communication with verification engine115. Verification engine115may be an engine operating within and/or disposed on verification and monitoring module110. Verification engine115may be any suitable plugin, application programming interface, module, and/or widget that are configured to be installed within public channel150. In this regard, the verification engine115may be configured to evaluate the data provided by the user that is associated with activities of the user.

In various embodiments, a merchant may be capable of communicating with at least one of verification and monitoring module110, transaction processing system120, and/or inventory database130. The merchant may communicate inventory, price, and other relevant item information to facilitate the offer of the item to the user. In this way, the merchant my leverage system100to seamlessly offer items in a non-traditional electronic marketplace anywhere that system100can deploy content (e.g., the Internet).

In various embodiments and with specific reference toFIG. 2, a channel250/260may be configured to present one or more items such as, for example, item252, item254, and/or the like. Moreover, channel250/260may comprise a verification input255that is in electronic communication with and/or operatively coupled to verification engine115. Verification and monitoring module110via verification engine115may be configured to receive credential information from a user to validate that the user is a transaction account owner. In this regard, verification and monitoring module110may be a login for a proprietary channel or a credential request engine in a public channel that is configured to validate that the user is associated with the transaction account. The credential information may be traditional credential information such as, for example, a username and a password, or non-traditional credential information such as, for example, biometric information, a pattern, and/or the like. For additional information about non-traditional information, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/732,985, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING A TOUCH ENABLED DEVICE and filed on Jun. 8, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any purpose.

In various embodiments and with reference withFIG. 1A,FIG. 1B, andFIG. 3, a method300that is executed by system100is provided. Method300may comprise determining via verification and monitoring module110identity information for a user in public channel150or proprietary channel160(Step310). In this regard, verification and monitoring module110may be operatively coupled to and/or in electronic communication with proprietary channel160and/or public channel150. Verification and monitoring module110may be configured to collect verification information from a user to confirm that the user is associated with a particular transaction account, as discussed herein.

In various embodiments, method300may further comprise monitoring activity information in proprietary channel160and/or public channel150(Step320). Activity information may include for example, movement of a selector, selection of an item, and/or the like in the channel (e.g., public channel150or proprietary channel160) by the user. Activity information may also correspond to a selection by the user in public channel150and/or proprietary channel160. The activity information may be monitored by the module. The module may be an artificial intelligence engine that is configured to monitor activity in a channel. The activity information may be analyzed to determine that the activity information corresponds to an activity associated with the user. In this regard, the activity information may be analyzed to determine whether the activity is actual human activity or activity from a bot or a web crawler that is interacting with various items on a proprietary channel160or a public channel150. More specifically, the artificial intelligence may be the use of gesture processing or mouse movement and informed prediction modeling. Based on the predictive modeling associated with a user (e.g., purchasing likelihood based on a number of visits, past purchases, demographic information, and/or the like) and the activity information, system100may initiate a purchase, where there is no click or selection of an item. Rather, the activity information (e.g., the presence or absence of certain activities that historically correspond to purchase activities) may trigger the purchase without the traditional selection of the item, addition of the item to a cart and check out, or the more streamlined one-click checkouts available from online retailers.

In various embodiments, verification and monitoring module110may comprise an engine (e.g., verification engine115) that is configured to analyze the activity information in the channel (e.g., public channel150or proprietary channel160). The engine may be configured to discern between activity information associated with a human user and activity information associated with a bot or other suitable web crawler. The engine may be configured to analyze the activity information associated with a user to identify particular micro movements or subtle patterns. In this way, verification and monitoring module110may be able to distinguish that the movement of a cursor or other activity in the channel is associated with an actual user (e.g., not a bot or web crawler).

In various embodiments, method300may further comprise analyzing the activity information to determine that the activity information is associated with an item in the channel (Step330). In this regard, system100and/or verification and monitoring module110may be configured to monitor the location of the activity information within proprietary channel160and/or public channel150. For example and with specific reference toFIG. 2, activity information associated with cursor256and an item displayed within channel250/260may be detected by system100and/or verification and monitoring module110. In this regard, system100may be configured to discern between activities associated with particular items (e.g., item252, item254, and/or the like) displayed within channel250/260. With reference again toFIG. 1A,FIG. 1B, andFIG. 3, method300may further comprise identifying the item (Step340) based on the activity information and the location of the activity information in the channel (e.g., public channel150or proprietary channel160).

In various embodiments, method300may further comprise initiating, via transaction processing system120, a transaction for the item in response to analyzing the activity information (Step350). In this regard, system100may be capable of and/or configured to initiate a transaction based on simple movements and/or human activities within the channel (e.g., public channel150or proprietary channel160).

In various embodiments, method300may further comprise transmitting a module for the channel, such as, for example, public channel150(Step360). The module may be installed to allow authentication information to be collected through public channel150and communicated from public channel150to verification and monitoring module110. Moreover, verification and monitoring module110may be configured to confirm the identity of the user in response to the authentication information being communicated from the module.

In various embodiments, the verification and monitoring module110may be configured to validate user information associated with the transaction account and/or a user. In this regard, the verification and monitoring module110may be provided by a transaction account issuer and may be configured to collect authentication information for the transaction account, as described herein. In this regard, the verification and monitoring module110may be capable of validating the identity of a user and authenticating the activities associated with the user within public channel150.

In various embodiments, the verification and monitoring module110may be configured to enable a purchase of or initiate a transaction for an item with the transaction account in public channel150based on activity information for the user in the channel. In this regard, the verification and monitoring module110may be configured to transform public channel150(e.g., a web page, a third party micro app, a social media channel, and/or the like) into a marketplace where goods can be purchased and provided to a user. The verification and monitoring module110may be configured to create a marketplace in any suitable electronic medium. In this way, users may be allowed to transact in channels where commerce is not traditionally conducted but where users spend time on the internet.

Payment confirmation may include a user taking action or may be a notification that a transaction has been partially or fully initiated, processed, and/or completed. In various embodiments, the confirmation details for a transaction may also be automatically supplied if the consumer provided confirmation information in response to the consumer opting into a program for initiating purchases based on activities in a channel. As such, the transaction or purchase initiated based on the in channel action may proceed without requiring a confirming action or any overt action other than the activity from the consumer. Based on an action initiating a purchase, the channel or system100may provide the consumer with a confirmation notification. This notification may contain purchase details including for example, transaction account information, item information, channel profile information, and/or the like. The confirmation may be a text message, push notification or other suitable instant communication that alerts the user of the purchase.

In various embodiments, the merchant or transaction account issuer (e.g., the operator of system100) may also define a purchase inventory that is defined in inventory database130. The operator may define a fixed or pre-defined inventory or items, or a dynamically determined inventory or items. This inventory may be determined based on market projections, initial success of a purchase event campaign, or any other suitable parameter. Transaction processing system120and/or inventory database130may be configured to monitor a purchasing event in substantially real time (e.g., substantially simultaneously with the detected activity in the channel). Based on this monitoring, system100may be capable of determining real time interest data for the purchasing event. This real time interest data may enable an operator to dynamically adjust the inventory of an item available to system100based on the interest in the particular purchasing event. This reporting allows system100and more specifically, inventory database130, to dynamically adjust the inventory of the item in real time.

In various embodiments and with reference toFIG. 4, system100may also be capable of performing method400for conducting purchase operations in any suitable fashion via transaction processing system120. System100may be capable of detecting a purchase action in a channel (Step410). The action may be any suitable in channel activity as described herein. Based on or in response to this action, system100may be capable of analyzing the terms of the purchase event. For example, system100may determine whether a particular purchase event is active based on the start date and/or end date associated with the purchase event.

If the purchasing event is active, system100may evaluate the inventory of an item associated with the purchasing event (Step420). If no inventory is available (or insufficient inventory), system100may provide a notification to the consumer indicating that the item is no longer available for purchase or that inventory for an item is not available, but is being requested. If inventory for an item is available, system100may analyze the spend history of the transaction account associated with the purchase event (e.g., if the consumer has previously purchased the item associated with the purchase event) (Step430). If the transaction account associated with the purchase event has already purchase the item, system100may request a confirmation for the consumer that a multiple purchase is authorized.

If the consumer has not previously purchased the item or if the consumer indicates the she wishes to purchase multiple items, system may be capable of evaluating the inventory status of the item (Step440). System100may also be capable of determining whether a transaction account is linked for purchasing an item (Step450) based on an in channel activity. If the transaction account is not linked for purchasing an item through digital channels, system100may be capable of requesting that the user link or update the preferences associated with the transaction account to confirm that purchases may be made through digital channels as described above.

Based on the transaction account being linked to the profile to conduct purchases, system100may initiate, conduct, transmit, complete or otherwise authorize the purchase of an item (Step460). Based on the purchase, system100may provide a notification or a transaction associated with an action in the channel (Step470). This notification may be provided through the channel where the purchase was initiated or through an alternative channel. This notification may be provided in substantially real time based on the transaction (e.g., substantially instantly, or contemporaneously with the activity in the channel). As such, the systems described herein facilitate purchases in digital channels.

The phrases consumer, customer, user, account holder, account affiliate, cardmember and/or the like shall include any person, entity, business, government organization, business, software, hardware, machine associated with a transaction account, buys merchant offerings offered by one or more merchants using the account and/or is designated for performing transactions on the account, regardless of whether a physical card is associated with the account. For example, the cardmember may include a transaction account owner, a transaction account user, an account affiliate, a child account user, a subsidiary account user, a beneficiary of an account, a custodian of an account, and/or any other person or entity affiliated or associated with a transaction account.

Terms and phrases similar to “sync,” “syncing,” and/or “synchronizing” may include associating, tagging, flagging, correlating, using a look-up table or any other method or system for indicating or creating a relationship between elements such as, for example (i) a transaction account and (ii) an item (e.g., offer, reward, discount) and/or digital channel. Moreover, the sync may occur at any point, in response to any suitable action, event, or period of time. The sync may occur at pre-determined intervals, periodic, randomly, once, more than once, or in response to a suitable request or action.

Terms and phrases similar to “associate” and/or “associating” may include tagging, flagging, correlating, using a look-up table or any other method or system for indicating or creating a relationship between elements, such as, for example, (i) a transaction account and (ii) an item (e.g., offer, reward, discount) and/or digital channel. Moreover, the associating may occur at any point, in response to any suitable action, event, or period of time. The associating may occur at pre-determined intervals, periodic, randomly, once, more than once, or in response to a suitable request or action.

Any communication, transmission and/or channel discussed herein may include any system or method for delivering content (e.g. data, information, metadata, etc.), and/or the content itself. The content may be presented in any form or medium, and in various embodiments, the content may be delivered electronically and/or capable of being presented electronically. For example, a channel may comprise a website, a uniform resource locator (“URL”), a document (e.g., a Microsoft Word document, a Microsoft Excel document, an Adobe .pdf document, etc.), an “ebook,” an “emagazine,” an application or microapplication (as described below), an SMS or other type of text message, an email, Facebook, Twitter, MMS and/or other type of communication technology. In various embodiments, a channel may be hosted or provided by a data partner. In various embodiments, the distribution channel may comprise at least one of a merchant website, a social media website, affiliate or partner websites, an external vendor, a mobile device communication, social media network and/or location based service. Distribution channels may include at least one of a merchant website, a social media site, affiliate or partner websites, an external vendor, and a mobile device communication. Examples of social media sites include Facebook®, Foursquare®, Twitter®, MySpace®, LinkedIn®, and the like. Examples of affiliate or partner websites include American Express®, Groupon®, LivingSocial®, and the like. Moreover, examples of mobile device communications include texting, email, and mobile applications for smartphones.

A “consumer profile” or “consumer profile data” may comprise any information or data about a consumer that describes an attribute associated with the consumer (e.g., a preference, an interest, demographic information, personally identifying information, and the like).

The present system or any part(s) or function(s) thereof may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof and may be implemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems. However, the manipulations performed by embodiments were often referred to in terms, such as matching or selecting, which are commonly associated with mental operations performed by a human operator. No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases, in any of the operations described herein. Rather, the operations may be machine operations. Useful machines for performing the various embodiments include general purpose digital computers or similar devices.

Computer system also includes a main memory, such as for example random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory. The secondary memory may include, for example, a hard disk drive and/or a removable storage drive, representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, etc. The removable storage drive reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc. which is read by and written to by removable storage drive. As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and/or data.

In various embodiments, secondary memory may include other similar devices for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system. Such devices may include, for example, a removable storage unit and an interface. Examples of such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory (PROM)) and associated socket, and other removable storage units and interfaces, which allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit to computer system.

Computer system may also include a communications interface. Communications interface allows software and data to be transferred between computer system and external devices. Examples of communications interface may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via communications interface are in the form of signals which may be electronic, electromagnetic, and optical or other signals capable of being received by communications interface. These signals are provided to communications interface via a communications path (e.g., channel). This channel carries signals and may be implemented using wire, cable, fiber optics, a telephone line, a cellular link, a radio frequency (RF) link, wireless and other communications channels.

The terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as removable storage drive and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive. These computer program products provide software to computer system.

In various embodiments, software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system using removable storage drive, hard disk drive or communications interface. The control logic (software), when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the functions of various embodiments as described herein. In various embodiments, hardware components such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of the hardware state machine so as to perform the functions described herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s).

In various embodiments, the server may include application servers (e.g. WEB SPHERE, WEB LOGIC, JBOSS). In various embodiments, the server may include web servers (e.g. APACHE, IIS, GWS, SUN JAVA SYSTEM WEB SERVER).

A web client includes any device (e.g., personal computer) which communicates via any network, for example such as those discussed herein. Such browser applications comprise Internet browsing software installed within a computing unit or a system to conduct online transactions and/or communications. These computing units or systems may take the form of a computer or set of computers, although other types of computing units or systems may be used, including laptops, notebooks, tablets, hand held computers, personal digital assistants, set-top boxes, workstations, computer-servers, main frame computers, mini-computers, PC servers, pervasive computers, network sets of computers, personal computers, such as iPads, iMacs, and MacBooks, kiosks, terminals, point of sale (POS) devices and/or terminals, televisions, or any other device capable of receiving data over a network. A web-client may run Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or any other of the myriad software packages available for browsing the internet.

Practitioners will appreciate that a web client may or may not be in direct contact with an application server. For example, a web client may access the services of an application server through another server and/or hardware component, which may have a direct or indirect connection to an Internet server. For example, a web client may communicate with an application server via a load balancer. In an exemplary embodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through a commercially-available web-browser software package.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a web client includes an operating system (e.g., Windows OS, UNIX, Linux, Solaris, MacOS, etc.) as well as various conventional support software and drivers typically associated with computers. A web client may include any suitable personal computer, network computer, workstation, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, smart phone, minicomputer, mainframe or the like. A web client can be in a home or business environment with access to a network. In an exemplary embodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through a commercially available web-browser software package. A web client may implement security protocols such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS). A web client may implement several application layer protocols including http, https, ftp, and sftp.

“Cloud” or “Cloud computing” includes a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing may include location-independent computing, whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. For more information regarding cloud computing, see the NIST's (National Institute of Standards and Technology) definition of cloud computing.

As used herein, “issue a debit”, “debit” or “debiting” refers to either causing the debiting of a stored value or prepaid card-type financial account, or causing the charging of a credit or charge card-type financial account, as applicable.

Any databases discussed herein may include relational, hierarchical, graphical, or object-oriented structure and/or any other database configurations. Common database products that may be used to implement the databases include DB2 by IBM (Armonk, N.Y.), various database products available from Oracle Corporation (Redwood Shores, Calif.), Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server by Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, Wash.), MySQL by MySQL AB (Uppsala, Sweden), or any other suitable database product. Moreover, the databases may be organized in any suitable manner, for example, as data tables or lookup tables. Each record may be a single file, a series of files, a linked series of data fields or any other data structure. Association of certain data may be accomplished through any desired data association technique such as those known or practiced in the art. For example, the association may be accomplished either manually or automatically. Automatic association techniques may include, for example, a database search, a database merge, GREP, AGREP, SQL, using a key field in the tables to speed searches, sequential searches through all the tables and files, sorting records in the file according to a known order to simplify lookup, and/or the like. The association step may be accomplished by a database merge function, for example, using a “key field” in pre-selected databases or data sectors. Various database tuning steps are contemplated to optimize database performance. For example, frequently used files such as indexes may be placed on separate file systems to reduce In/Out (“I/O”) bottlenecks.

Encryption may be performed by way of any of the techniques now available in the art or which may become available—e.g., Twofish, RSA, El Gamal, Schorr signature, DSA, PGP, PKI, GPG (GnuPG), and symmetric and asymmetric cryptosystems.

The computing unit of the web client may be further equipped with an Internet browser connected to the Internet or an intranet using standard dial-up, cable, DSL or any other Internet protocol known in the art. Transactions originating at a web client may pass through a firewall in order to prevent unauthorized access from users of other networks. Further, additional firewalls may be deployed between the varying components of CMS to further enhance security.

Firewall may include any hardware and/or software suitably configured to protect CMS components and/or enterprise computing resources from users of other networks. Further, a firewall may be configured to limit or restrict access to various systems and components behind the firewall for web clients connecting through a web server. Firewall may reside in varying configurations including Stateful Inspection, Proxy based, access control lists, and Packet Filtering among others. Firewall may be integrated within a web server or any other CMS components or may further reside as a separate entity. A firewall may implement network address translation (“NAT”) and/or network address port translation (“NAPE”). A firewall may accommodate various tunneling protocols to facilitate secure communications, such as those used in virtual private networking. A firewall may implement a demilitarized zone (“DMZ”) to facilitate communications with a public network such as the Internet. A firewall may be integrated as software within an Internet server, any other application server components or may reside within another computing device or may take the form of a standalone hardware component.

The computers discussed herein may provide a suitable website or other Internet-based graphical user interface which is accessible by users. In one embodiment, the Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS), and Microsoft SQL Server, are used in conjunction with the Microsoft operating system, Microsoft NT web server software, a Microsoft SQL Server database system, and a Microsoft Commerce Server. Additionally, components such as Access or Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix MySQL, Interbase, etc., may be used to provide an Active Data Object (ADO) compliant database management system. In one embodiment, the Apache web server is used in conjunction with a Linux operating system, a MySQL database, and the Perl, PHP, and/or Python programming languages.

Any of the communications, inputs, storage, databases or displays discussed herein may be facilitated through a website having web pages. The term “web page” as it is used herein is not meant to limit the type of documents and applications that might be used to interact with the user. For example, a typical website might include, in addition to standard HTML documents, various forms, Java applets, JavaScript, active server pages (ASP), common gateway interface scripts (CGI), extensible markup language (XML), dynamic HTML, cascading style sheets (CS S), AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript And XML), helper applications, modules, and the like. A server may include a web service that receives a request from a web server, the request including a URL (http://yahoo.com/stockquotes/ge) and an IP address (123.56.789.234). The web server retrieves the appropriate web pages and sends the data or applications for the web pages to the IP address. Web services are applications that are capable of interacting with other applications over a communications means, such as the internet. Web services are typically based on standards or protocols such as XML, SOAP, AJAX, WSDL and UDDI. Web services methods are well known in the art, and are covered in many standard texts.

The merchant computer and the bank computer may be interconnected via a second network, referred to as a payment network. The payment network which may be part of certain transactions represents existing proprietary networks that presently accommodate transactions for credit cards, debit cards, and other types of financial/banking cards. The payment network is a closed network that is assumed to be secure from eavesdroppers. Exemplary transaction networks may include the American Express®, VisaNet® and the Veriphone® networks.

The electronic commerce system may be implemented at the customer and issuing bank. In an exemplary implementation, the electronic commerce system is implemented as computer software modules loaded onto the customer computer and the banking computing center. The merchant computer does not require any additional software to participate in the online commerce transactions supported by the online commerce system.

In yet another embodiment, the transponder, transponder-reader, and/or transponder-reader system are configured with a biometric security system that may be used for providing biometrics as a secondary form of identification. The biometric security system may include a transponder and a reader communicating with the system. The biometric security system also may include a biometric sensor that detects biometric samples and a device for verifying biometric samples. The biometric security system may be configured with one or more biometric scanners, processors and/or systems. A biometric system may include one or more technologies, or any portion thereof, such as, for example, recognition of a biometric. As used herein, a biometric may include a user's voice, fingerprint, facial, ear, signature, vascular patterns, DNA sampling, hand geometry, sound, olfactory, keystroke/typing, iris, retinal or any other biometric relating to recognition based upon any body part, function, system, attribute and/or other characteristic, or any portion thereof.

Phrases and terms similar to an “entity” may include any individual, consumer, customer, group, business, organization, government entity, transaction account issuer or processor (e.g., credit, charge, etc.), merchant, consortium of merchants, account holder, charitable organization, software, hardware, and/or any other type of entity. The terms “user,” “consumer,” “purchaser,” and/or the plural form of these terms are used interchangeably throughout herein to refer to those persons or entities that are alleged to be authorized to use a transaction account.

Phrases and terms similar to “account”, “account number”, “account code” or “consumer account” as used herein, may include any device, code (e.g., one or more of an authorization/access code, personal identification number (“PIN”), Internet code, other identification code, and/or the like), number, letter, symbol, digital certificate, smart chip, digital signal, analog signal, biometric or other identifier/indicia suitably configured to allow the consumer to access, interact with or communicate with the system. The account number may optionally be located on or associated with a rewards account, charge account, credit account, debit account, prepaid account, telephone card, embossed card, smart card, magnetic stripe card, bar code card, transponder, radio frequency card or an associated account.

The system may include or interface with any of the foregoing accounts, devices, and/or a transponder and reader (e.g. RFID reader) in RF communication with the transponder (which may include a fob), or communications between an initiator and a target enabled by near field communications (NFC). Typical devices may include, for example, a key ring, tag, card, cell phone, wristwatch or any such form capable of being presented for interrogation. Moreover, the system, computing unit or device discussed herein may include a “pervasive computing device,” which may include a traditionally non-computerized device that is embedded with a computing unit. Examples may include watches, Internet enabled kitchen appliances, restaurant tables embedded with RF readers, wallets or purses with imbedded transponders, etc. Furthermore, a device or financial transaction instrument may have electronic and communications functionality enabled, for example, by: a network of electronic circuitry that is printed or otherwise incorporated onto or within the transaction instrument (and typically referred to as a “smart card”); a fob having a transponder and an RFID reader; and/or near field communication (NFC) technologies. For more information regarding NFC, refer to the following specifications all of which are incorporated by reference herein: ISO/IEC 18092/ECMA-340, Near Field Communication Interface and Protocol-1 (NFCIP-1); ISO/IEC 21481/ECMA-352, Near Field Communication Interface and Protocol-2 (NFCIP-2); and EMV 4.2.

The account number may be distributed and stored in any form of plastic, electronic, magnetic, radio frequency, wireless, audio and/or optical device capable of transmitting or downloading data from itself to a second device. A consumer account number may be, for example, a sixteen-digit account number, although each credit provider has its own numbering system, such as the fifteen-digit numbering system used by American Express. Each company's account numbers comply with that company's standardized format such that the company using a fifteen-digit format will generally use three-spaced sets of numbers, as represented by the number “0000 000000 00000”. The first five to seven digits are reserved for processing purposes and identify the issuing bank, account type, etc. In this example, the last (fifteenth) digit is used as a sum check for the fifteen digit number. The intermediary eight-to-eleven digits are used to uniquely identify the consumer. A merchant account number may be, for example, any number or alpha-numeric characters that identify a particular merchant for purposes of account acceptance, account reconciliation, reporting, or the like.

In various embodiments, an account number may identify a consumer. In addition, in various embodiments, a consumer may be identified by a variety of identifiers, including, for example, an email address, a telephone number, a cookie id, a radio frequency identifier (RFID), a biometric, and the like.

Phrases and terms similar to “financial institution” or “transaction account issuer” may include any entity that offers transaction account services. Although often referred to as a “financial institution,” the financial institution may represent any type of bank, lender or other type of account issuing institution, such as credit card companies, card sponsoring companies, or third party issuers under contract with financial institutions. It is further noted that other participants may be involved in some phases of the transaction, such as an intermediary settlement institution.

The terms “payment vehicle,” “financial transaction instrument,” “transaction instrument” and/or the plural form of these terms may be used interchangeably throughout to refer to a financial instrument.

Phrases and terms similar to “merchant,” “supplier” or “seller” may include any entity that receives payment or other consideration. For example, a supplier may request payment for goods sold to a buyer who holds an account with a transaction account issuer.

Phrases and terms similar to a “buyer” may include any entity that receives goods or services in exchange for consideration (e.g. financial payment). For example, a buyer may purchase, lease, rent, barter or otherwise obtain goods from a supplier and pay the supplier using a transaction account.

Phrases and terms similar to “internal data” may include any data a credit issuer possesses or acquires pertaining to a particular consumer. Internal data may be gathered before, during, or after a relationship between the credit issuer and the transaction account holder (e.g., the consumer or buyer). Such data may include consumer demographic data. Consumer demographic data includes any data pertaining to a consumer. Consumer demographic data may include consumer name, address, telephone number, email address, employer and social security number. Consumer transactional data is any data pertaining to the particular transactions in which a consumer engages during any given time period. Consumer transactional data may include, for example, transaction amount, transaction time, transaction vendor/merchant, and transaction vendor/merchant location. Transaction vendor/merchant location may contain a high degree of specificity to a vendor/merchant. For example, transaction vendor/merchant location may include a particular gasoline filing station in a particular postal code located at a particular cross section or address. Also, for example, transaction vendor/merchant location may include a particular web address, such as a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”), an email address and/or an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address for a vendor/merchant. Transaction vendor/merchant and transaction vendor/merchant location may be associated with a particular consumer and further associated with sets of consumers. Consumer payment data includes any data pertaining to a consumer's history of paying debt obligations. Consumer payment data may include consumer payment dates, payment amounts, balance amount, and credit limit. Internal data may further comprise records of consumer service calls, complaints, requests for credit line increases, questions, and comments. A record of a consumer service call includes, for example, date of call, reason for call, and any transcript or summary of the actual call.

Phrases similar to a “payment processor” may include a company (e.g., a third party) appointed (e.g., by a merchant) to handle transactions. A payment processor may include an issuer, acquirer, authorizer and/or any other system or entity involved in the transaction process. Payment processors may be broken down into two types: front-end and back-end. Front-end payment processors have connections to various transaction accounts and supply authorization and settlement services to the merchant banks' merchants. Back-end payment processors accept settlements from front-end payment processors and, via The Federal Reserve Bank, move money from an issuing bank to the merchant bank. In an operation that will usually take a few seconds, the payment processor will both check the details received by forwarding the details to the respective account's issuing bank or card association for verification, and may carry out a series of anti-fraud measures against the transaction. Additional parameters, including the account's country of issue and its previous payment history, may be used to gauge the probability of the transaction being approved. In response to the payment processor receiving confirmation that the transaction account details have been verified, the information may be relayed back to the merchant, who will then complete the payment transaction. In response to the verification being denied, the payment processor relays the information to the merchant, who may then decline the transaction. Phrases similar to a “payment gateway” or “gateway” may include an application service provider service that authorizes payments for e-businesses, online retailers, and/or traditional brick and mortar merchants. The gateway may be the equivalent of a physical point of sale terminal located in most retail outlets. A payment gateway may protect transaction account details by encrypting sensitive information, such as transaction account numbers, to ensure that information passes securely between the customer and the merchant and also between merchant and payment processor.