Patent Publication Number: US-2012047035-A1

Title: Central savings management system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This U.S. Non-Provisional patent application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 12/902,453 filed Oct. 12, 2010, claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/374,721 filed Aug. 18, 2010, and are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth within. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to financial savings in a commercial environment. More particularly, the invention relates to method and system of aggregating portions of financial transactions in a plurality of commercial environments. 
     2) Discussion of the Related Art 
     Generally, commercial establishments visited by customers have one or more point-of-sale (hereinafter “POS”) terminals. These POS systems in large retail store chains, e.g., supermarket chains, process large amounts of customer transactions per store per week. Such POS terminals are used by personnel such as cashiers and clerks to perform various functions, such as calculating the total price of a purchase for one or more products and/or services and calculating the amount of change due to a customer. A POS terminal may also track purchases made and adjust a database of stored inventory accordingly. 
     A retail store&#39;s business strategies and marketing initiatives are generally integrated with the store&#39;s POS terminals. This is because, it is at the point of sale that the store often has its best opportunity to exchange information and gather data from the customer. Many times a merchant may desire to offer to sell a customer or user a product or service in addition, or related to, the product being purchased by the customer while the customer is shopping at the merchant or shopping on-line via a merchant&#39;s commercial Internet site. 
     Retail stores and manufacturers have broadly utilized database technology in the development of promotions to help move product as well as stimulate interest in new products. These promotions may include stamps, coupons, and the like, in order to stimulate customer interest. However, commercial establishments desire to more directly target the consumer. 
     Further, many times a customer in a retail environment may see a product that exceeds the funds that customer has at that moment, however, in leaving that environment forget to plan and save to ultimately purchase the product. Along similar lines, customers may also purchase items they can afford and at the same time want to save for future items within the same retail store at a later date. This scenario may play out at a variety of commercial establishments. 
     Thus, there is a need to centralize saving mechanisms for commercial establishments and provide customers with the ability to save funds specific and relevant to the location and, at the same time, provide commercial establishments the ability to more directly target consumers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a central savings management system. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the central savings management system. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a management system connected to a customer and a point of sale device in a commercial environment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a web module. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the web module. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the web module. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the management system. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of a message module. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of the web module. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment of the web module. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is described below with reference to diagrams of methods and systems to manage and track portions from cash purchases at a retail point of sale by customers. At the same time, the invention provides merchants and customers the ability to further interact with the commercial environment and each other. It is understood that each block of the illustrations may be implemented by means of analog or digital hardware and computer program instructions. 
     These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”), or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, implements the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams or operational block or blocks. 
     The World Wide Web (“Web”) used herein refers generally to both (i) a distributed collection of interlinked, user-viewable hypertext documents (commonly referred to as web documents or web pages) that are accessible via the Internet, and (ii) the client and server software components which provide user access to such documents using standardized Internet protocols. The primary standard protocol for allowing applications to locate and acquire web documents is HTTP, and the web pages are encoded using HTML. However, the terms “Web” and “World Wide Web” are intended to encompass markup languages and transport protocols which may be used in place of (or in addition to) HTML and HTTP. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a central savings management system  100 . The central savings management system  100  (“CSMS”) is comprised of a data storage device  120  having a storage medium associated with a customer, a point of sale device  140  (“POS”) for receiving currency in at least a first transaction, at least one commercial environment  160 , and a management system  180  operatively coupled to the POS  140 , the CSMS  100  of which can be wired, non-wired or a combination thereof. 
     The CSMS  100  receives and accounts for value in currency. The currency in a transaction can include any known type of currency, in that the term currency can include, but are not limited to, cash, credit card, check, and debit card purchases. The CSMS  100  is designed to accommodate and include any alternatives wherein value is exchanged for something else of value. That value is recognized by the CSMS  100  and stored. 
     The data storage device  120  is broadly defined to include any medium storing identification information on a memory. In an embodiment, the data storage device  120  can be a transceiver. However, the data storage device  120  also extends to a customer retaining identification information including but not limited to driver&#39;s license number, phone number, password, biometric identifiers, address or any other governmental or non-governmental identification. Each embodiment can be used to interact with the POS  140  using means of information transfer such that the customer is identified by the system. Hereinafter, “data storage device” and “customer” are used interchangeably with reference numeral  120  and can be thought of as anything that broadly stores information aiding in identification. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the CSMS  100 , in aggregating the at least one commercial environment  160 . The at least one commercial environment  160  contains at least one POS  140  and represents any retail environment where currency is exchanged for goods and/or services, or where “financial transactions” are initiated. In an embodiment, the at least one commercial environment  160  can include online e-commerce as well as brick and mortar stores. 
     It is important to point out that in an e-commerce embodiment of the at least one commercial environment  160 , the POS  140  is not necessarily a tangible device, but rather a calculating algorithm and a web interface, or the equivalent. As such, the POS  140  is designed by the CSMS  100  to exist in both embodiments and operate equivalently. The CSMS  100  is able to manage a plurality of financial transactions in a variety of different environments, as described above, and centralize these transactions in a hub for the customer  120 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of the management system  180  (“MS”). The MS  180  includes a processor  200 , a memory  220 , a server  240 , a customer database  260 , a web module (“WM”)  280 , message module (“MM”)  300 , and a customer module (“CM”)  320 . The modules of the MS  180  are all operatively connected, and can be distributed in a single location or plural locations across a network. 
     The MS  180  is communicatively linked with the at least one commercial environment  160 , and is configured to receive and store a portion, basically the data equivalent, of the currency from the at least a first cash transaction on the customer database  260 . At the same time, the MS  180  makes accessible to the customer  120  and commercial environment  160  specific modules within the MS  180 , as described further herein. 
     The server  240  is designed to process requests within the system and deliver data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet. Servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients. As described herein, the server  240  responds to requests from a variety of different modules within the MS  180 , such as requests from the POS  140 , the data storage device  120 , the CM  320 , the MM  300 , and the retail module (“RM”)  340  (illustrated in  FIG. 5 ). 
     The customer database  260  can contain accounts associated with the customer  120  in the at least one commercial environment  160 . In an embodiment, the customer database  260  can be a plurality, and therefore associated with a plurality of commercial environments  160 . 
     The customer database  260  can store customer account data. This data includes information connecting the customer with the CSMS  100 , as described further herein, as well as data which is representative of the merchant and the customer  120  engaging in financial transactions at the POS  140 . This data can be, at a minimum, in the form of storing product(s) and/or service(s) names or brands, transactions, value, as well as the time and location of the purchase. In an embodiment, charity accounts can be created and associated with a particular commercial environment  160  in which customers  120  contribute (use described herein). 
     The MS  180  is configured to store the numerical values of the portions of the currency from the at least a first transaction made at the POS  140 . The portion, in an embodiment, can include storing the value of change from at least a first transaction. In an embodiment, the portion can include a contribution from the customer  120 , wherein the CM  320  displays an option on the POS  140  requesting input from the customer  120 , as to whether the customer  120  is interested in rounding up a financial transaction to the nearest dollar, wherein that change value would be stored in an account in the customer database  260 . 
     In another embodiment, the CM  320  can display on the POS  140  specific values to contribute based on the amount of money received at the POS  140 , or request input from the customer  120  as to any contribution to the account associated with the customer database  260 . The CM  320  is also associated with the generation of user logins and password functionality, further described herein. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) of the WM  280 . In this embodiment, the WM  280  provides the customer  120  the ability to access, through the CM  320 , the representations of change or the contributions on a specific account within the customer database  260  or a variety of accounts on the customer database  260 . Here, the WM  280  provides to the customer  120  the interface and the displays associated with savings from three commercial stores for a particular customer  120 , as well as the total accumulated savings for the customer  120  for all three commercial environments  160 . 
     In an embodiment, the customer  120 , as described herein, through the CM  320 , and in view of the WM  280  allows customers  120  to make cash contributions to respective accounts contained in the customer database  260 . In this particular embodiment, the contribution would be added to the “savings” (shown in  FIG. 4 ) towards a particular store or split up amongst a variety of commercial stores. Further features in  FIG. 4  such as “Account Details” and “Buying Power” will be referenced and described in more detail herein. 
       FIG. 4  further illustrates a feature called “Add Program.” This feature allows the customer  120  to include a participating commercial environment  160 . The feature allows the customer  120  to expand on the current network and allow for further centralizing of each respective financial transaction. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the WM  280  in another embodiment. In accessing the GUI of  FIG. 5 , a hyperlink is placed within the term “Account Details” in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the WM  280  has the capability to delineate customer  120  financial transactions in a variety of commercial environments  160 . As discussed above, information collected at the POS  140  is stored at the customer database  260 . The WM  180  illustrates this data in a GUI for the customer  120 , allowing the customer  120  to view their financial activity. As described above, this information illustrates the store, the date and time of the purchase, the amount of the purchase, and the amount saved to date at that particular location. 
     The WM  280  basically provides informational content over a network via a web site using the standard protocols of the World Wide Web. Typically, a web site corresponds to a particular Internet domain name, such as “www.yahoo.com,” and includes the content associated with a particular organization. As used herein, the term “web module” generally includes the hardware/software server components that provide the informational content over the network, and the “back end” hardware/software components, including any non-standard or specialized components such as a database and search engines, that interact with the server components to perform services for users accessing the web site. 
       FIG. 5  further illustrates the feature found in the WM  280  embodiment in  FIG. 4 , “Add Program,” as describe above, as well as total savings across a spectrum of commercial environments  160 . The large distinction between embodiments in  FIGS. 4 and 5  are discussed below. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the WM  180 . In this embodiment, the “View Special Offers” option is chosen, which is specifically linked to a commercial environment  160 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 . The customer  120  is taken to another GUI illustrating specific products provided by the at least one commercial environment  160 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 , the WM  180  provides a calculation, or an increased portion option, specific to each commercial environment  160 , basically the notion of “Purchase Power Estimator” or “Buying Power Estimator”  280 A. Illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a customer  120  can view the Purchase Power Estimator  280 A calculated and provided by a particular commercial environment  160 . In seeing that, the customer  120  is then provided a hyperlink under View Special Offers as described above. 
     Further illustrated in  FIG. 6  is the “Compound Purchase Estimator”  280 B. This feature allows the customer  120  the ability to actually calculate the amount needed to contribute towards a specific product, over time. Basically, the Compound Purchase Estimator is a contribution duration option provided by the system. For instance, the customer  120  can enter an amount to save per month. However, as indicated above, with the purchase power estimator, the commercial environment  160  can provide purchase power over a specific time. Therefore, with the customer  120  contribution per month, the customer is able to extrapolate the savings over a period time, resulting in a purchase power of amount saved over time and purchase power provided over time. This feature allows a customer  120  the ability to figure out when the total purchase price for a product will be obtained. 
     The above features of the MS  180  are specifically provided for in the RM  340 , illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The RM  340  provides the MS  180  capability of interacting with the commercial environment  160 . In this specific embodiment, the commercial environment  160  is able to log into the system and provide a calculation specific to the amount saved in the account within the customer database  260 . For instance, in  FIG. 6  it is apparent that an amount saved of $5.99 equals a purchase power of $12.11 as provided by WALMART. 
     Further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the MS  180  also provides the ability for the customer  120  to increase purchase power above the amount saved. To this end, the WM  280 , through the CM  320 , provides an option to enter an amount to increase purchase or buying power through a text box, or provides a “slide bar” or “scroll bar,” allowing the customer  120  to instantly see how much buying or purchasing power results from a specific contribution. This kind of feature can be implemented in Flash or similar programs and embedded into hypertext markup language (“html”). 
     The above feature further applies to the Compound Purchase Estimator  280 B feature. Much like the Purchase Power Estimator  280 A, the customer  120  has the ability to actually calculate the purchase power. Of course, the distinction is that the Compound Purchase Estimator  280 B provides the amount needed to contribute towards a specific product, over time. However, as above, the at least one commercial environment  160  can provide purchase power over a specific time. 
     The at least one commercial environment  120  will hold funds in its own account within the customer database  260  in the MS  180 . When a consumer  120  returns to that particular commercial environment  120 , and has reached the POS  140  with items for purchase, the cashier will scan the customer&#39;s  120  card or obtain other account identification information such as email addresses, phone numbers or others, prior to the financial transaction. 
     Depending on the embodiment, a card can either be scanned using a bar code reader, Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) or swiped from a magnetic stripe on card, or other identification as described herein can be used to retrieve by the server  240  the associated value in that particular commercial environment  160 . 
     The value which is represented on the customer database  260  for that specific commercial environment  160  can be deducted in an embodiment where the customer  120  is interested in using that balance for a specific purchase. Further, account funds may be redeemed at any time at the retailer for the actual face value. This action, of course, would require both identification and password confirmation. Funds may also be converted into purchasing power at the commercial environment  160  for merchandise therein. 
     Further illustrated in  FIG. 7  (see also  FIG. 3 ), the MM  300  is accessible by the customer  120 , the commercial environment  160 , or the administrator of the CSMS  100 . Once accessed, the function of the MM  300 , in an embodiment, is to supply messages or notices in the form of advertisements from the commercial environment  160  regarding new products and services and related transactions of the customer  120 , or any administrative messages relevant to the CSMS  100  itself. 
     In an embodiment, the customer  120  can set preferences within the CM  320 . The preferences filters the MM  300  with respect to what messages the customer  120  receives and does not receive. The customer  120  can have messages sent that include receipts from any redemption from or contribution to the CSMS  100  or in general, any accounting involved in the system, including the balance, or in general, any message containing information displayed on the WM  280 . In an embodiment, the customer  120  can receive receipts for each cash contribution in print at the POS  140  and/or by digital text message and/or email. This embodiment is specifically illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
     The commercial environment  160  may wish to create an incentive/loyalty program around the financial transaction, intending to offer the consumer even greater value than just the balance of change on the associated account. This end is reflected in the terms buying power or purchase power in the Purchase Power Estimator  280 A. In an embodiment, the commercial environment  160  could match all or some of the portion of the funds collected in that environment, and provide an advertisement through the MM  300  reflecting the same. 
     In creating an incentive/loyalty program, the commercial environment  160  requests the customer  120  to sign up for an account. For example, a new account can be created by a variety of means including but not limited to fingerprints, retinal scan or other identifying biometric means. RFID can also be used by the customer  120  for identification and in enrolling in such a program. 
     RFID tags contain at least an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio frequency signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. These RFID tags can be embedded in something owned by the customer  120 . In this embodiment, data storage device  120  may be more appropriate. 
     In addition to the above identification means, in an embodiment, there can be pre-existing devices already associated with a customer as a data storage device  120  to aid in signing up an account. For example, many state driver licenses now include a magnetic stripe containing the relevant driver license information. As such, in an embodiment, the CSMS  100  may use the driver&#39;s license. In an embodiment, upon first use the owner of the driver&#39;s license would swipe the card in a card reader and a new account would be created and populated with the user&#39;s information and change to be credited to the account. In another embodiment, a personal identification number (PIN) can also be used. In this embodiment, data is not saved to the driver&#39;s license, but rather stored on the card administrator&#39;s systems for future access. 
     In another embodiment, a pre-existing card with updateable information may be used. For example, some cities now use smart cards or other devices for mass transit payments or toll payments. In an embodiment, the same system used to track these payments is used as an administrator. Thus, when a customer  120  receives change, the customer  120  may elect to have the change credited to the user&#39;s mass transit account. This particular feature is accomplished by way of the CM  320 . 
     As mentioned above, a mobile telephone may also be used as a data storage device  120 . The account generated may or may not be the same billing account associated with the mobile telephone service provider. Instead the mobile device number (e.g., the telephone number) or identification capabilities (many mobile devices now incorporate RFID or other unique electronic identification means) may be used to associate the phone&#39;s owner with an account and its balance 
     In use, the CSMS  100  provides a method of managing customer transactions from POS  140  devices in commercial environments  160 . In doing so, a customer  120  is identified by the CSMS  100  by the means described herein, in a participating commercial environment  160 . 
     The CSMS  100  receives data from a data storage device  120  having a storage medium associated with the customer  120 , in a particular embodiment, from the POS in the commercial environment  160 . The data is transmitted to the MS  180  where the MS  180  identifies the customer  120 . As stated previously, the MS  180  is operatively coupled to the POS  140 . The POS  140  receives currency in at least a first transaction associated with at least one commercial environment  160 . In an embodiment, the CM  320  transmits information to display an option to retain a portion of the currency from the at least a first transaction. In another embodiment, the display can include an option on the POS  140  to retain the portion of the currency that is an amount equal to the change due from the at least one first transaction. However, in another embodiment, the display can be an option on the POS  140  to retain the portion of the currency is an amount the customer  120  would like to contribute above the at least one first transaction. 
     The customer database  260  then stores the value of the portion of the currency from the at least one first transaction. As stated above, the amount ultimately displayed on the POS  140 , can be controlled or chosen by the customer  120  through the CM  320 . 
     As further provided by the MS  180 , the commercial environment  160  is able to access the MM  300  through the RM  340  and provide incentives on products and services to the customer based on data in the customer database  260 , which in an embodiment, can include data specific to the at least one first transaction associated with the at least one commercial environment  160 . 
     In an embodiment, the commercial environment  160  can provide incentives to the customer  120  by transmitting the incentive by at least one of short messaging service, electronic mail, and multimedia messaging service through the MM  300 . Of course, the mode of transmission through the MM  300  is designed to encompass all forms of messaging technology. 
     Ultimately, the customer  120  is then able to use the respective portions of currency saved in the system, in redeeming the portion in a second transaction in the at least one commercial environment  160 . Here, the benefits from the commercial environment  160  are realized. In an embodiment, in redeeming the portion, the commercial environment  160  can be all stores of the same chain, or any participating commercial environment  160 , which can encompass a variety of different retail and commercial stores. 
     The CM  320  provides the capability of the above. The CM  320  further provides the ability to transfer funds from one customer database  260  to another customer database  260 . On a lower level, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a Transfer Module  330  allows funds to be transferred from accounts associated with the customer database  260  to specific accounts on another customer database  260 . For example, if a customer  120  wanted to send a family member funds (member of the CSMS  100 ) to use for a specific commercial environment  160 , such as Target®, that customer  120  could transfer funds from any of that customer&#39;s associated accounts to the family member&#39;s account associated with Target®. 
     In the above embodiment, in order to do so, first both transferor and transferee have to be members of the CSMS  100 . Secondly, this transfer can take place at the POS  140  or through the WM  280 , however, in order to complete the transfer, identifying information must be entered into the CM  320  such as a name, email and phone number. However, any combination of the above or that described herein can be used. 
     After a completed fund transfer, the transferee receives the funds in the specific account. At this point, the transferee can shop at the specific commercial environment  160  or can actually withdraw the amount in its entirety. The transferor can alter the characteristics associated with the transfer through the CM  320 , in that, the transferor can specify that the funds are to be used in that specific commercial environment  160 , or towards a particular item in that specific commercial environment  160 , or be withdrawn as cash. 
     Generally, the MS  180  provides the ability for the commercial environment  160  and the customer  120  to interact. For example, the RM  340 , after successful login, provides access to customer databases  260  within that particular environment. The MS  180  further provides for communication, either related to or unrelated to that particular data. Therefore, the commercial environment  160  is able to directly interact with the customer  120 . 
     One example of interaction is the purchase power option. The RM  340  provides for the purchase power option to the customer  120  on a network, as an additional incentive to purchase specific products. This option, in an embodiment, can also be displayed at the POS  140 . As described above, this feature is set specifically by each at least one commercial environment  160 . 
     Further, the MS  180  provides functionality through CM  320  for the customer  120  as that seen for the at least one commercial environment  160 . The CM  320  also functions as a secure login module for the customer  120 . The customer  120 , in an embodiment, can create respective displays seen on the POS  140 . For instance, the customer  120  can input into the CM  320  the ability to automatically store the change from a financial transaction. Further, the customer  120  can input specific denominations, for example, display on the POS  140  the options to store $10, $20 or $30. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment wherein the above denominations can be linked to a specific customer  120  charity organization or “charity,” as entered through the CM  320  by the customer  120  and tracked, as a vendor of this system and randomly implemented through the POS  140  and/or WM  180  and generated at the POS  140  or through a POS  140  implemented text search performed by the customer  120 . Further, in the above embodiment, donations to specific charities can occur through any medium discussed herein and basically functions equivalent to a portion in the CSMS  100 . 
     Further, in another embodiment, the customer  120  can always request the CSMS  100  to round up all transactions or even transfer portions between respective customer databases in different participating commercial environments  160 . Of course, such an amount transferred can result in different purchase power estimator calculations. 
     An advantage of the invention as described herein, is the ability to interconnect the customer  120  and the commercial environment  160 . The customer  120  receives an advantage of storing portions of currency, which can include change or any denomination on a commercial environment related database  260 . This advantage is particularly useful in saving for specific items with the commercial environment  160 , as well as simply storing change and not keeping it on one&#39;s person. 
     Another advantage of the invention is the ability of the invention to aggregate participating commercial environments  160  in a central hub, providing better, more efficient, management of stored funds. In the CSMS  100 , the customer  120  can transfer savings from one commercial environment  160  to another, in that, the goods or services can be completely unrelated, yet, the funds will transfer into and can be redeemed in another environment, including the same environment. 
     A further advantage of the invention is that the merchant has access to the MS  180  through the RM  340 . It is through the RM  340 , connected to the MM  300 , that the commercial environment  160  is able to access and communicate to the customer  120 . An advantage being the MM  300  providing a variety of communication means, time preferences and other specific features in message delivery. 
     Two further advantages of the invention aimed, at the customer  120 , are the Purchase Power Estimator  280 A and the Compound Purchase Calculator  280 B. These particular features are algorithmic calculations within the MS  180  and allow for the calculation of savings towards a particular product or service, and the protracted or the specific savings towards a particular product or service over time, respectively. 
     The calculations are provided by the commercial environment  160  and allow for the customer  120  to determine what additional amount each commercial environment  160  is offering over the specific savings amount in the particular account, as well as what periodic monetary contributions could result in a specified length of time, specific to a product or service. 
     Lastly, the CSMS  100  is geared towards the ability to contribute to specific charities and causes at a point when it is most pertinent, at the POS  140 . The CM  320  allows for the creation of charities and subsequent transmission of targeted denominations to the POS  140  and/or the ability to enter in such charities and/or denominations in the commercial environment  160  by the consumer  120 . Again, this feature allows the consumer  120  to create and monitor contributions to their favorite charity or specifically search for the same. 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the current invention, and that this invention is not restricted to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described since modification may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.