Patent Publication Number: US-2015073863-A1

Title: Method and System for Linking Browsing History to Proprietary Transaction Data

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the linking of browsing data to transaction history, specifically the linking of consumer browsing history with consumer transaction history based on a plurality of demographic characteristics. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Merchants, retailers, advertisers, and other entities try to collect as much pertinent information as they can about consumers. Having detailed information can enable these entities to target specific consumers or groups of consumers for the distribution of relevant offers, advertisements, etc. One method that many advertisers use for Internet advertising is to capture a consumer&#39;s browsing history. Advertisers may then identify advertisements and offers specific to the consumer based on their browsing history, which are then distributed or displayed to the consumer. 
     However, utilizing only a consumer&#39;s browsing history without additional information may provide for an inaccurate analysis of the consumer, which can further result in less effective advertising. For example, a consumer may view a number of merchant websites looking for a particular type of product, before finally settling on a merchant which to transact and a specific product to purchase. Without additional information, an advertiser or third party may be unable to identify which merchant the consumer preferred, or which product the consumer settled on. As such, the advertiser would also be unable to identify any reasoning behind the consumer&#39;s selection, which could provide the advertiser with valuable information about the consumer. 
     Thus, there is a need for a technical solution to capturing pertinent information regarding a consumer&#39;s preferences, in addition to browsing data. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a description of systems and methods for linking browsing data to transaction history and distributing consumer profiles. 
     A method for linking browsing data to transaction history includes: storing, in a database, a plurality of consumer profiles, wherein each consumer profile includes data related to a consumer including at least a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics and a plurality of transaction data entries across a plurality of merchants, each transaction data entry corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer; receiving, by a receiving device, browsing data, wherein the browsing data includes webpage browsing history and a plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics; identifying, by a processing device, at least one consumer profile of the plurality of consumer profiles where at least a predefined number of the included plurality of consumer demographic characteristics correspond to the plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics; and associating, in the database, each of the identified at least one consumer profile with the webpage browsing history included in the received browsing data. 
     A method for distributing a linked consumer profile includes: storing, in a database, a plurality of consumer profiles, wherein each consumer profile includes data related to a consumer including at least a consumer identifier associated with the related consumer, a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics, and a plurality of transaction data entries across a plurality of merchants, each transaction data entry corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer; receiving, by a receiving device, a consumer profile request, wherein the browsing data request includes at least a specific consumer identifier; identifying, in the database, a specific consumer profile where the included consumer identifier corresponds to the specific consumer identifier; transmitting, by a transmitting device, a request for browsing data, wherein the request for browsing data includes at least the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics included in the identified specific consumer profile; receiving, by the receiving device, webpage browsing history; including, in the database, the received webpage browsing history in the identified specific consumer profile; and transmitting, by the transmitting device, the specific consumer profile in response to the received browsing data request. 
     A system for linking browsing data to transaction history includes a database, a receiving device, and a processing device. The database is configured to store a plurality of consumer profiles, wherein each consumer profile includes data related to a consumer including at least a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics and a plurality of transaction data entries across a plurality of merchants, each transaction data entry corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer. The receiving device is configured to receive browsing data, wherein the browsing data includes webpage browsing history and a plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics. The processing device is configured to: identify at least one consumer profile of the plurality of consumer profiles where at least a predefined number of the included plurality of consumer demographic characteristics correspond to the plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics; and associate, in the database, each of the identified at least one consumer profile with the webpage browsing history included in the received browsing data. 
     A system for distributing a linked consumer profile includes a database, a receiving device, a processing device, and a receiving device. The database is configured to store a plurality of consumer profiles, wherein each consumer profile includes data related to a consumer including at least a consumer identifier associated with the related consumer, a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics, and a plurality of transaction data entries across a plurality of merchants, each transaction data entry corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer. The receiving device is configured to receive a consumer profile request, wherein the browsing data request includes at least a specific consumer identifier. The processing device is configured to identify, in the database, a specific consumer profile where the included consumer identifier corresponds to the specific consumer identifier. The transmitting device is configured to transmit a request for browsing data, wherein the request for browsing data includes at least the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics included in the identified specific consumer profile. The receiving device is further configured to receive webpage browsing history. The processing device is further configured to include, in the database, the received webpage browsing history in the identified specific consumer profile. The transmitting device is further configured to transmit the specific consumer profile in response to the received browsing data request. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The scope of the present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Included in the drawings are the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a high level architecture illustrating a system for linking consumer browsing data and transaction history in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the processing server of  FIG. 1  for the linking of consumer browsing data and transaction history in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method for linking browsing data with transaction history in a consumer profile in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating a method for populating and distributing a consumer profile including browsing data and transaction history in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating the linking of consumer browsing data to transaction history in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for linking browsing data to transaction history in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for distributing a linked consumer profile in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram illustrating a computer system architecture in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description of exemplary embodiments are intended for illustration purposes only and are, therefore, not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the disclosure. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Definition of Terms 
     Payment Network—A system or network used for the transfer of money via the use of cash-substitutes. Payment networks may use a variety of different protocols and procedures in order to process the transfer of money for various types of transactions. Transactions that may be performed via a payment network may include product or service purchases, credit purchases, debit transactions, fund transfers, account withdrawals, etc. Payment networks may be configured to perform transactions via cash-substitutes, which may include payment cards, letters of credit, checks, financial accounts, etc. Examples of networks or systems configured to perform as payment networks include those operated by MasterCard®, VISA®, Discover®, American Express®, PayPal®, etc. 
     Personally identifiable information (PII)—PII may include information that may be used, alone or in conjunction with other sources, to uniquely identify a single individual. Information that may be considered personally identifiable may be defined by a third party, such as a governmental agency (e.g., the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the European Commission, etc.), a non-governmental organization (e.g., the Electronic Frontier Foundation), industry custom, consumers (e.g., through consumer surveys, contracts, etc.), codified laws, regulations, or statutes, etc. The present disclosure provides for methods and systems where the processing server  108  does not possess any personally identifiable information. Systems and methods apparent to persons having skill in the art for rendering potentially personally identifiable information anonymous may be used, such as bucketing. Bucketing may include aggregating information that may otherwise be personally identifiable (e.g., age, income, etc.) into a bucket (e.g., grouping) in order to render the information not personally identifiable. For example, a consumer of age 26 with an income of $65,000, which may otherwise be unique in a particular circumstance to that consumer, may be represented by an age bucket for ages 21-30 and an income bucket for incomes $50,000 to $74,999, which may represent a large portion of additional consumers and thus no longer be personally identifiable to that consumer. In other embodiments, encryption may be used. For example, personally identifiable information (e.g., an account number) may be encrypted (e.g., using a one-way encryption) such that the processing server  108  may not possess the PII or be able to decrypt the encrypted PII. 
     System for Linking Browsing Data to Transaction History 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  for linking consumer browsing data to consumer transaction history. 
     A consumer  102  may engage in one or more payment transactions at a merchant  104 . The payment transaction or transactions may be conducted in person (e.g., at a physical location of the merchant  104 ), or remotely, such as via the Internet, telephone, by mail, etc. The transaction may be processed via a payment network  106 . The payment network  106  may transmit a copy of the authorization request or transaction data included therein to a processing server  108 , discussed in more detail below. The processing server  108  may store the transaction data in a consumer profile of a consumer database  112 , also discussed in more detail below, wherein the profile is associated with the consumer  102 . In an exemplary embodiment, the transaction data may only be stored in a consumer profile associated with the particular consumer  102  with the permission of the consumer  102 . 
     The processing server  108  may receive demographic characteristics associated with the consumer  102  from a demographic tracking agency  110  or other third party. The demographic characteristics may include: age, gender, income, marital status, familial status, residential status, occupation, education, zip code, postal code, street address, county, city, state, country, etc. The processing server  108  may store the demographic characteristics in the consumer profile associated with the consumer  102 . In an exemplary embodiment, the consumer profile associated with the consumer  102  may not include any personally identifiable information. In some instances, the consumer  102  may grouped with a plurality of consumers having similar or the same demographic characteristics. 
     The consumer  102  may have use a computing device  114  to browse the Internet via one or more browsing application programs. The computing device  114  may be any type of computing device suitable for browsing as will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, cellular phone, smart phone, etc. Browsing data for the consumer  102  may be obtained and stored by a data management service  116 . In some instances, the computing device  114  may transmit browsing data to the data management service  116 . In other instances, the data management service  116  may capture browsing data of the computing device  116 . Methods and systems for capturing browsing data of a consumer will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. 
     The data management service  116  may store historical browsing data, which may be browsing data over multiple sessions (e.g., multiple times of a single day, multiple days of a week, month, or year, etc.), associated with the consumer  102 . The processing server  108  may request historical browsing data from the data management service  116 . The data management service  116  may furnish the browsing data to the processing server  108 , which it may then store in corresponding consumer profiles in the consumer database  112 . 
     In some embodiments, the data management service  116  may provide browsing data to the processing server  108  associated with browser-associated demographic characteristics. In such an embodiment, the processing server  108  may match the browsing data to one or more consumer profiles based on the browser-associated demographic characteristics and the demographic characteristics of the one or more consumer profiles. In other embodiments, the processing server  108  may transmit demographic characteristics for one or more consumer profiles to the data management service  116 . The data management service  116  may identify browsing data corresponding to the demographic characteristics, and distribute the browsing data to the processing server  108 . The processing server  108  may then store the browsing data in the corresponding one or more consumer profiles. Additional methods for obtaining the browsing data for one or more consumers without personally identifying a consumer will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. 
     The processing server  108  may then have transaction history and browsing data for a consumer  102  linked together in a consumer profile associated with the consumer  102 . In an exemplary embodiment, the consumer profile may not include any personally identifiable information for the consumer  102 , except with the express consent of the consumer  102 . By linking transaction history with browsing data, the processing server  108 , or a third party, such as an advertiser, that may receive the data from the processing server  108 , may be able to obtain significantly more data from a consumer&#39;s browsing history than utilizing browsing history alone. Furthermore, the transaction history may also include activity not conducted via the computing device  114  (e.g., an in-person transaction involving the consumer  102  and the merchant  104 ), and thus may provide significantly additional, and valuable, information in addition to the browsing data. 
     Processing Device 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the processing server  108  of the system  100 . It will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art that the embodiment of the processing server  108  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is provided as illustration only and may not be exhaustive to all possible configurations of the processing server  108  suitable for performing the functions as discussed herein. For example, the computer system  800  illustrated in  FIG. 8  and discussed in more detail below may be a suitable configuration of the processing server  108 . 
     The processing server  108  may include a receiving unit  202 . The receiving unit  202  may be configured to receive data over one or more networks via one or more network protocols. The receiving unit  202  may be configured to receive transaction data, demographic characteristic data, and browsing data. 
     The processing server  108  may also include a processing unit  204 . The processing unit  204  may be configured to store received transaction data in a transaction database  210  as one or more transaction data entries  212 . Each transaction data entry  212  may include data related to a corresponding payment transaction, such as a consumer identifier, merchant identifier, transaction amount, transaction time and/or date, geographic location, merchant name, product data, coupon or offer data, a point-of-sale identifier, or other suitable information as will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. In some embodiment, each transaction data entry may also include demographic characteristics for a consumer involved in the corresponding payment transaction. 
     The processing unit  204  may also be configured to store a plurality of consumer profiles  208  in the consumer database  112 . Each consumer profile  208  may include data related to a consumer (e.g., the consumer  102 ), including at least a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics. In some embodiments, each consumer profile  208  may also include a plurality of transaction data entries  212 . The plurality of transaction data entries  212  included in each consumer profile  208  may be identified via a consumer identifier (e.g., an identification number, a payment account number, etc.) or other information suitable for identifying the consumer profile  208 . In an exemplary embodiment, each consumer profile  208  may not include personally identifiable information unless the corresponding consumer  102  expressly consents. In such an embodiment, the consumer identifier may be related to a particular consumer, without being personally identifiable to the consumer, such as a payment account number encrypted via one-way encryption. In some embodiments, each consumer profile  208  may be associated with a specific set of demographic characteristics and may accordingly be related to a generic consumer of those demographic characteristics rather than an actual consumer  102 . 
     The processing unit  204  may be configured to link consumer profiles  208  with transaction data entries  212  based on demographic characteristics. The processing unit  204  may also be configured to link consumer profiles  208  including transaction data entries  212  with browsing data received by the receiving unit  202 . The processing unit  204  may be configured to link the consumer profiles  208  with the browsing data via demographic characteristics included in the consumer profiles  208  and in the received browsing data. In some instances, the processing unit  204  may match browsing data to transaction history based on a predefined number of demographic characteristics (e.g., at least the predefined number of characteristics must match). In other instances, transaction history and browsing data may be matched via algorithms or other systems and methods that will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. In some embodiments, the processing unit  204  may store the received browsing data in the linked consumer profile  208 . 
     The processing server  108  may also include a transmitting unit  206 . The transmitting unit  206  may be configured to transmit data over one or more networks via one or more network protocols. The transmitting unit  206  may be configured to transmit requests for data, such as to the demographic tracking agency  110  and/or the data management service  116 . The transmitting unit  206  may also be configured to transmit transaction history and/or browsing data, or a consumer profile  208  including linked transaction history and browsing data, in response to a request from a third party (e.g., an advertiser). 
     Method for Linking Browsing Data to Transaction History 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a method for linking consumer browsing data to transaction history. 
     In step  302 , the demographic tracking agency  110  may collect demographic characteristics for one or more consumers. Methods and systems for collecting demographic characteristics will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. The demographic tracking agency  110  may collect the information and may, in step  304 , transmit the collected demographic characteristic information to the processing server  108 . 
     In step  306 , the processing server  108  may receive the demographic characteristic information. In step  308 , the processing unit  204  of the processing server  108  may match the received demographic characteristic information to transaction data entries  212  included in the transaction database  210 . In step  310 , the processing unit  204  may generate consumer profiles  208  for matched transaction history and demographic characteristics and store the consumer profiles  208  in the consumer database  112 . In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit  204  may bucket or otherwise modify the demographic characteristic information and/or transaction data to render the corresponding consumer profile  208  not personally identifiable. In some instances, the processing unit  204  may group transaction data entries  212  for multiple consumers sharing demographic characteristics into a single consumer profile  208 . 
     In step  312 , the data management service  116  may collect browsing history for one or more consumers  102 , the browsing history including webpage browsing history and a plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics that are associated with the corresponding one or more consumers  102 . In some embodiments, the data management service  116  may collect historical browsing data over an extended period of time. In step  314 , the data management service  116  may transmit the collected browsing history to the processing server  108 . The processing server  108  may, in step  316 , receive the browsing history from the data management service  116 . 
     In step  318 , the processing unit  204  of the processing server  108  may match the received browsing history to the consumer profiles  208  based on matching of the demographic characteristics. In step  320 , the processing unit  204  may update the consumer profiles  208  to include and/or be associated with the matched browsing history. 
     Method for Distributing a Consumer Profile 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a method for distributing a consumer profile including linked browsing data and transaction history. 
     In step  402 , the processing server  108  may receive (e.g., via the receiving unit  202 ) a request for linked consumer browsing and transaction data. The request for linked data may include a consumer identifier or other identifying information, such as demographic characteristics. In step  404 , the processing unit  204  may identify, in the consumer database  112 , a consumer profile  208  based on the information included in the request. 
     In step  406 , the processing server  108  may transmit (e.g., via the transmitting unit  206 ), a request for demographic characteristics for the consumer associated with the identified consumer profile  208 . In step  408 , the demographic tracking agency  110  may receive the request, and, in step  410 , may identify demographic characteristics associated with the consumer and transmit them back to the processing server  108 . In step  412 , the processing server  108  may receive the demographic characteristics associated with the consumer  102  related to the identified consumer profile  208 . 
     In step  414 , the processing server  108  may request browsing history for the consumer  102  from the data management service  116 . The browsing history request may include the previously received demographic characteristics. In step  416 , the data management service  116  may receive the browsing history request, and, in step  418 , identify browsing history associated with the demographic characteristics received in the browsing history request. The data management service  116  may transmit the browsing history to the processing server  108 , which may receive the browsing data in step  420 . 
     In step  422 , the processing server  108  may update the consumer profile  208  to include the received browsing data, and may transmit the consumer profile  208  and/or the included transaction history and browsing data as a response to the initially received request. In an exemplary embodiment, the consumer profile  208  may not include any personally identifiable information for the related consumer  102 . In other embodiments, the processing server  108  may remove and/or render personally unidentifiable any personally identifiable information included in the consumer profile  208 . 
     Linking Browsing Data to Transaction History 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the linking of consumer browsing data  502  to transaction history  504  using demographic characteristics. 
     Each set of browsing data  502 , illustrated in  FIG. 5  as browsing data  502   a ,  502   b , and  502   c , may correspond to a consumer  102  and include a plurality of demographic characteristics. For example, browsing data  502   a  corresponds to a consumer  102  that is a male, of an age between 42 and 46 years old, has an income between $100,000 and $120,000, is married, has one child, and lives in Virginia. In some embodiments, the browsing data  502   a  may correspond to a plurality of consumers each having the same demographic characteristics data. 
     Each set of transaction data  504 , illustrated in  FIG. 5  as transaction data  504   a ,  504   b , and  504   c , may correspond to a consumer  102  or a plurality of consumers  102 , and include a plurality of demographic characteristics associated with the corresponding consumer or consumers  102 . For example, transaction data  504   a  may correspond to a consumer  102  that is a female, of an age between 34 and 37 years old, has an income between $175,000 and $200,000, is married, has no children, and lives in California. 
     The processing unit  204  of the processing server  108  may identify the demographic characteristics for each of the browsing data  502  and transaction data  504  and match the two sets of data based on common demographic characteristics. For example, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the processing unit  204  may match browsing data  502   a  with transaction data  504   b , browsing data  502   b  with transaction data  504   c , and browsing data  502   c  with transaction data  504   a . The processing unit  204  may then store the linked data in one or more consumer profiles  208  including the corresponding demographic characteristics. 
     In some embodiments, the demographic characteristics for the browsing data  502  may not directly correspond to the demographic characteristics for the transaction data  504 . In such an instance, the processing unit  204  may be configured to link the data based on a predefined number of matching characteristics. For example, if the transaction data  504   b  was associated with a consumer  102  having two children, while the browsing data  502   a  is associated with a consumer  102  having only one child, the processing unit  204  may still link the two sets of data because the sets have at least five matching demographic characteristics including age, gender, income, marital status, and geographic location. 
     Exemplary Method for Linking Browsing Data to Transaction History 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method  600  for linking consumer browsing data to transaction history using demographic characteristics. 
     In step  602 , a plurality of consumer profiles (e.g., the consumer profiles  208 ) may be stored in a database (e.g., the consumer database  112 ), wherein each consumer profile  208  includes data related to a consumer (e.g., the consumer  102 ) including at least a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics and a plurality of transaction data entries (e.g., transaction data entries  212 ), each transaction data entry  212  corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer  102 . In some embodiments, the plurality of demographic characteristics may not be personally identifiable. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics may include at least one of: age, gender, income, marital status, familial status, residential status, occupation, education, zip code, postal code, street address, county, city, state, and country. In some embodiments, each transaction data entry  212  may include at least transaction data, a consumer identifier associated with the related consumer  102 , and a merchant identifier associated with a merchant (e.g., the merchant  104 ) involved in the corresponding payment transaction. In a further embodiment, the transaction data may include at least one of: a transaction amount, product data, transaction time and/or date, geographic location, coupon data, and point-of-sale identifier. 
     In step  604 , browsing data may be received, by a receiving device (e.g., the receiving unit  202 ), wherein the browsing data includes webpage browsing history and a plurality of browser demographic characteristics. In step  606 , at least one consumer profile  208  of the plurality of consumer profiles may be identified, by a processing device (e.g., the processing unit  204 ), where at least a predefined number of the included plurality of consumer demographic characteristics correspond to the plurality of browser demographic characteristics. In step  608 , each of the identified at least one consumer profiles  208  may be associated, in the database  112 , with the webpage browsing history included in the received browsing data. 
     Exemplary Method for Distributing a Linked Consumer Profile 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a method  700  for distributing a consumer profile including browsing data and transaction history linked based on demographic characteristics. 
     In step  702 , a plurality of consumer profiles (e.g., the consumer profiles  208 ) may be stored, in a database (e.g., the consumer database  112 ), wherein each consumer profile  208  includes data related to a consumer (e.g., the consumer  102 ), including at least a consumer identifier associated with the related consumer  102 , a plurality of consumer demographic characteristics, and a plurality of transaction data entries (e.g., transaction data entries  212 ), each transaction data entry  212  corresponding to a payment transaction involving the related consumer  102 . In some embodiments, the plurality of demographic characteristics may not be personally identifiable. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics may include at least one of: age, gender, income, marital status, familial status, residential status, occupation, education, zip code, postal code, street address, county, city, state, and country. In some embodiments, each transaction data entry  212  may include at least transaction data, a consumer identifier associated with the related consumer  102 , and a merchant identifier associated with a merchant (e.g., the merchant  104 ) involved in the corresponding payment transaction. In a further embodiment, the transaction data may include at least one of: a transaction amount, product data, transaction time and/or date, geographic location, coupon data, and point-of-sale identifier. 
     In step  704 , a consumer profile request may be received, by a receiving device (e.g., the receiving unit  202 ), wherein the browsing data request includes at least a specific consumer identifier. In step  706 , a specific consumer profile  208  may be identified, in the database  112 , where the included consumer identifier corresponds to the specific consumer identifier. In step  708 , a request for browsing data may be transmitted, by a transmitting device (e.g., the transmitting unit  206 ), wherein the request for browsing data includes at least the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics included in the identified specific consumer profile  208 . 
     In step  710 , the receiving device  202  may receive webpage browsing history. In one embodiment, the request for browsing data may further include a predefined number, the received webpage browsing history may be associated with browser-associated demographic characteristics, and a number of the plurality of consumer demographic characteristics included in the specific consumer profile  208  that correspond to the plurality of browser-associated demographic characteristics is at least the predefined number. In step  712 , the received webpage browsing history may be included, in the database  11 , in the identified specific consumer profile  208 . In step  714 , the specific consumer profile  208  may be transmitted, by the transmitting device  206 , in response to the received browsing data request. 
     Computer System Architecture 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a computer system  800  in which embodiments of the present disclosure, or portions thereof, may be implemented as computer-readable code. For example, the processing server  108  of  FIG. 1  may be implemented in the computer system  800  using hardware, software, firmware, non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon, or a combination thereof and may be implemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems. Hardware, software, or any combination thereof may embody modules and components used to implement the methods of  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  6 , and  7 . 
     If programmable logic is used, such logic may execute on a commercially available processing platform or a special purpose device. A person having ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can be practiced with various computer system configurations, including multi-core multiprocessor systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, computers linked or clustered with distributed functions, as well as pervasive or miniature computers that may be embedded into virtually any device. For instance, at least one processor device and a memory may be used to implement the above described embodiments. 
     A processor device as discussed herein may be a single processor, a plurality of processors, or combinations thereof. Processor devices may have one or more processor “cores.” The terms “computer program medium,” “non-transitory computer readable medium,” and “computer usable medium” as discussed herein are used to generally refer to tangible media such as a removable storage unit  818 , a removable storage unit  822 , and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive  812 . 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in terms of this example computer system  800 . After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art how to implement the present disclosure using other computer systems and/or computer architectures. Although operations may be described as a sequential process, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, concurrently, and/or in a distributed environment, and with program code stored locally or remotely for access by single or multi-processor machines. In addition, in some embodiments the order of operations may be rearranged without departing from the spirit of the disclosed subject matter. 
     Processor device  804  may be a special purpose or a general purpose processor device. The processor device  804  may be connected to a communication infrastructure  806 , such as a bus, message queue, network, multi-core message-passing scheme, etc. The network may be any network suitable for performing the functions as disclosed herein and may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless network (e.g., WiFi), a mobile communication network, a satellite network, the Internet, fiber optic, coaxial cable, infrared, radio frequency (RF), or any combination thereof. Other suitable network types and configurations will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. The computer system  800  may also include a main memory  808  (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, etc.), and may also include a secondary memory  810 . The secondary memory  810  may include the hard disk drive  812  and a removable storage drive  814 , such as a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory, etc. 
     The removable storage drive  814  may read from and/or write to the removable storage unit  818  in a well-known manner. The removable storage unit  818  may include a removable storage media that may be read by and written to by the removable storage drive  814 . For example, if the removable storage drive  814  is a floppy disk drive, the removable storage unit  818  may be a floppy disk. In one embodiment, the removable storage unit  818  may be non-transitory computer readable recording media. 
     In some embodiments, the secondary memory  810  may include alternative means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system  800 , for example, the removable storage unit  822  and an interface  820 . Examples of such means may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (e.g., as found in video game systems), a removable memory chip (e.g., EEPROM, PROM, etc.) and associated socket, and other removable storage units  822  and interfaces  820  as will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. 
     Data stored in the computer system  800  (e.g., in the main memory  808  and/or the secondary memory  810 ) may be stored on any type of suitable computer readable media, such as optical storage (e.g., a compact disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.) or magnetic tape storage (e.g., a hard disk drive). The data may be configured in any type of suitable database configuration, such as a relational database, a structured query language (SQL) database, a distributed database, an object database, etc. Suitable configurations and storage types will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. 
     The computer system  800  may also include a communications interface  824 . The communications interface  824  may be configured to allow software and data to be transferred between the computer system  800  and external devices. Exemplary communications interfaces  824  may include a modem, a network interface (e.g., an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via the communications interface  824  may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals as will be apparent to persons having skill in the relevant art. The signals may travel via a communications path  826 , which may be configured to carry the signals and may be implemented using wire, cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, a radio frequency link, etc. 
     Computer program medium and computer usable medium may refer to memories, such as the main memory  808  and secondary memory  810 , which may be memory semiconductors (e.g. DRAMs, etc.). These computer program products may be means for providing software to the computer system  800 . Computer programs (e.g., computer control logic) may be stored in the main memory  808  and/or the secondary memory  810 . Computer programs may also be received via the communications interface  824 . Such computer programs, when executed, may enable computer system  800  to implement the present methods as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, may enable processor device  804  to implement the methods illustrated by  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  6 , and  7 , as discussed herein. Accordingly, such computer programs may represent controllers of the computer system  800 . Where the present disclosure is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into the computer system  800  using the removable storage drive  814 , interface  820 , and hard disk drive  812 , or communications interface  824 . 
     Techniques consistent with the present disclosure provide, among other features, systems and methods for providing characteristic payments data. While various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed system and method have been described above it should be understood that they have been presented for purposes of example only, not limitations. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the disclosure, without departing from the breadth or scope.