Patent Publication Number: US-2016232557-A1

Title: Systems and Methods for Managing Purchase Transactions Performed by Members of Groups

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for managing purchase transactions performed by members of groups, for example, in connection with rewarding the members for select ones of the purchase transactions that satisfy one or more predefined criteria. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. 
     Members of organizations often incur expenses in connection with their responsibilities to the organizations (e.g., travel expenses, etc.). The expenses may be processed to payment accounts of the organizations, such that the organizations then settle the purchase transactions when due. Or, the expenses may be processed to payment accounts of the members. Here, the members settle the purchase transactions when due, and then request reimbursement from their organizations for the appropriate amounts. Separately, the payment accounts are typically provided to the members and/or the organizations by issuers that provide rewards for using the payment accounts. Often, the rewards are based on total amounts of the purchases processed to the payment accounts. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  shows an exemplary system for managing purchase transactions performed by members of a group; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device, suitable for use in the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an exemplary method for managing a purchase transaction performed by a members of a group, which may be implemented in the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description and specific examples included herein are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Members of groups (e.g., employees of companies, etc.) often perform purchase transactions for products and/or services in connection with their responsibilities to the groups. For example, the members may incur expenses in connection with traveling on behalf of the groups, performing other duties for the groups, etc. Typically, the purchase transactions are funded by the groups, such that the members are not responsible for the corresponding amounts of the purchase transactions. Systems and methods herein reward members of groups when amounts of their purchase transactions satisfy various predefined criteria (e.g., are less than predefined metric amounts such as estimated appropriate and/or acceptable amounts for the purchase transactions, etc.). Through such gamification, the systems and methods may encourage members of the groups to take into account the overall amounts of their purchase transactions (e.g., choose cheaper options, etc.), prior to completing them, even though the members are not responsible for the amounts. In so doing, the systems and methods may aid groups in managing and/or controlling amounts of purchase transactions and, ultimately, reduce certain amounts (e.g., unneeded or unnecessary amounts, etc.) associated therewith. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system  100 , in which the one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented. The system  100  can be used to manage purchase transactions performed by members of a group. In so doing, and as previously described, the system may help the group manage the amounts of the purchase transactions and, ultimately, reduce unnecessary or unneeded amounts associated therewith. Although components of the system  100  are presented in one arrangement, other embodiments may include the same or different components arranged otherwise, depending, for example, on arrangements and/or organizations of groups, payment of and/or reimbursement for purchase transactions by members of groups, processing of purchase transactions, etc. 
     The illustrated system  100  generally includes a group  102 , an acquirer  104 , a payment service  106 , an issuer  108 , and a transaction rating service  110 . The group  102  may include a variety of different organizations such as, for example, companies, partnerships, etc. In addition, the group  102  generally includes multiple members (each indicated at  112 ), such as employees or others (e.g., other individuals, other entities, etc.) affiliated with the group  102 , etc. While a single group  102  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , it should be appreciated that the system  100  can accommodate multiple groups within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the transaction rating service  110  is illustrated as a separate entity in the system  100 . However, the transaction rating service  110  may be implemented in one or more other entities shown, or not shown, in  FIG. 1 . For example, in some embodiments, the transaction rating service  110  may be implemented in the payment service  106  (as indicated by the broken lines in  FIG. 1 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the group  102 , the acquirer  104 , the payment service  106 , the issuer  108 , and the transaction rating service  110  each include a computing device  114 , coupled to network  116 . Each of the members  112  of the group  102  is also associated with a computing device  118 , which is connected to network  116 . The computing devices  114  and  118  may include a single computing device, or multiple computing devices located together and/or distributed across a geographic region. Each computing device  114  and  118  may include, without limitation, a server, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a workstation computer, a personal computer, a tablet computer (e.g., an iPad™, a Samsung Galaxy™, etc.), a handheld computer or other communication device, a smart phone (e.g., an iPhone™, a BlackBerry™, etc.), the like, or combinations thereof. 
     The network  116  of the illustrated system  100  may include, without limitation, one or more local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) (e.g., the Internet, etc.), mobile networks, virtual networks, other networks as described herein, and/or other suitable public and/or private networks capable of supporting communication among two or more of the illustrated components, or even combinations thereof. In one example, the network  116  includes multiple networks, where different ones of the multiple networks are accessible to different ones of the illustrated components in  FIG. 1 . 
     In the system  100 , a member  112  of the group  102  initiates a purchase transaction at a merchant for a desired product and/or service, in connection with performing responsibilities related to the group  102 , by presenting a payment device to the merchant (and, in some cases, entering a personal identification number (PIN) associated with the payment device). The payment device is associated with a payment account issued by the issuer  108 . In some implementations of the system  100 , the payment device and related payment account are associated with the group  102  (as part of a group account). While in other implementations, the payment device and related payment account are associated directly with the member  112  (such that the member  112  may then request reimbursement for the purchase transaction from the group  102 ). The payment device may include any suitable device including, for example, a payment card (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, etc.), a payment token, a payment tag, a pass, another enabled device used to provide an account number (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet, etc.), etc. And, the product and/or service may include any desired one or more product and/or service including, for example, a product and/or service relating to travel, etc. 
     In response, the merchant, the acquirer  104 , the payment service  106 , and the issuer  108  cooperate to authorize and clear the purchase transaction. In particular, the merchant (via the acquirer  104 ) communicates with the issuer  108 , through the payment service  106  (e.g., using the MasterCard® interchange, etc.), for authorization for the transaction. If the issuer  108  accepts the transaction, an authorization response is provided back through the payment service  106  (and the associated payment network) to the merchant. And, the purchase transaction is completed. The credit of the payment account used by the member  112  is altered by the amount of the transaction, and the charge/credit is posted to the payment account. The transaction is later cleared by and between the acquirer  104  and the issuer  108 , directly or via the payment service  106 . 
     Transaction data is generated as part of the above interactions among the member  112 , the merchant, the acquirer  104 , the payment service  106 , and the issuer  108 . The transaction data includes various details of the purchase transaction such as, without limitation, a payment account number (PAN) for the payment account used by the member  112 , an amount of the purchase transaction, a time/date of the purchase transaction, a merchant identification number (MID) for the merchant, a merchant category code (MCC) for the merchant, a name or other identifier of the member  112  making the purchase transaction, a reward account number for the member  112 , etc. The transaction data may be stored at different entities participating in the interactions, along the payment network. In this embodiment, the transaction data is stored in a data structure  120  of the payment service  106 , which may be incorporated in or separate from the computing device  114  of the payment service  106 . In this and other embodiments, the transaction data may be stored as separate data related to the group  102  or member  112 , as appropriate, and/or may be stored in combination with a variety of other transaction data or other data. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , upon completion of the purchase transaction by the member  112 , the transaction rating service  110  evaluates/analyzes the transaction data in connection with a reward program supported by or provided by the transaction rating service  110 . In particular, the transaction rating service  110  determines, from the transaction data, if any reward value (e.g., reward points, etc.) should be provided to the member  112 , via a reward account associated with the member  112  through the reward program, for the purchase transaction. 
     As part of this evaluation/analysis, the transaction rating service  110  initially receives the transaction data. In some embodiments, the transaction data is received from the payment service  106 , via the network  116 . For example, the PAN of the payment account used by the member  112  in the purchase transaction may be associated with the member&#39;s reward account. And, when the payment service  106  receives the PAN, in connection with processing the purchase transaction, it also identifies that the PAN is associated with the reward account (as part of the reward program) and transmits the transaction data for the purchase transaction to the transaction rating service  110 . Or the transaction rating service  110  may specifically request the transaction data for the member&#39;s purchase transaction from the payment service  106  (e.g., upon notification of the purchase transaction from the group  102 , from the member  112 , etc.). In other embodiments, the group  102  may provide the transaction data, for example, through one or more accounting programs (e.g., Smart Data Online™, etc.). 
     After receiving the transaction data, the transaction rating service  110  stores the transaction data in a data structure  122  of the transaction rating service  110 . In so doing, the transaction data is identified to the member  112 . The data structure  122  also includes transaction data for purchase transactions by multiple other members  112  of the group  102 , and multiple other members of multiple other groups, etc. The data structure  122  may be incorporated in or separate from the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 . 
     In the illustrated system  100 , the transaction rating service  110  includes a reward engine  124  configured, often by computer-readable instructions associated with the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , to then access (or retrieve) the received transaction data in the data structure  122 . In so doing, the reward engine  124  identifies an amount of the purchase transaction by the member  112  and assigns a category to the purchase transaction based on a type of the product and/or service involved in the purchase transaction (e.g., a hotel room category, a rental car category, an airline ticket category, etc.). The assigned category may or may not be additionally stored in the data structure  122  with the transaction data. The reward engine  124  also identifies, from the transaction data, the member  112  associated with the purchase transaction and an account number for the member&#39;s reward account. With that said, it should be appreciated that the reward engine  124  may be incorporated into the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , or may be a separate computing device located together with and/or distributed apart from the computing device  114 . In addition, while the reward engine  124  is described as performing various operations herein, it should be appreciated that a processor of the computing device  114  associated with the transaction rating service  110  may also or alternatively be used to perform one or more of the operations. 
     In some embodiments, the reward engine  124  of the transaction rating service  110  also transmits a retrieval notice to the computing device associated with the member  112 , when the transaction data for the member&#39;s purchase transaction is retrieved from the data structure  122 . In so doing, the member  112  is made aware that the purchase transaction is being processed and that rewards may be transferred to his/her reward account. 
     A corresponding metric amount (broadly, a predefined criteria) is also identified, based on the category of the purchase transaction, as a basis of comparison to the amount of the purchase transaction by the member  112 . In the illustrated system  100 , the metric amount is identified by the reward engine  124  of the transaction rating service  110 , in the data structure  122 , from multiple different metric amounts stored in the data structure  122 . The multiple different metric amounts represent estimated appropriate and/or acceptable amounts (e.g., average or mean amounts, median amounts, mode amounts, etc.) for purchase transactions involving various products and/or services, and various categories of such products and/or services. The metric amounts may be based on amounts incurred in similar purchase transactions by others (e.g., by other members  112  of the group  102 , by other consumers, etc.), or they may be based on appropriate and/or acceptable amounts for the products and/or services as offered by one or more select merchants (e.g., as determined, calculated, etc. by the merchants, by others, etc.), etc. In the illustrated system  100 , the metric amounts are determined by the reward engine  124 , based on transaction data received by the transaction rating service  110  for other similar purchase transactions (e.g., purchase transactions by other members  112  of the group  102  and assigned to the same categories, etc.). Further, in other embodiments, the metric amounts may be determined by other entities and then transmitted to the transaction rating service  110  upon request or as desired. 
     After the appropriate metric amount is identified, the reward engine  124  of the transaction rating service  110  is then configured to compare the amount of the member&#39;s purchase transaction to the metric amount. If the amount of the purchase transaction satisfies the metric amount (e.g., is about the same as or less than the metric amount; is less than the metric amount; is within a predetermined amount above the metric amount, equal to the metric amount, or less than the metric amount; etc.), the reward engine  124  then determines an appropriate reward value and transfers it to the member&#39;s reward account, based on the reward account number identified from the transaction data. Otherwise, no reward value is transferred. 
     The transaction rating service  110  (e.g., via the reward engine  124 , etc.) also operates to cause one or more reward interfaces to display at the member&#39;s computing device  118  (via an output device), that permit the member  112  to view gamification information associated with the member&#39;s reward account, to redeem reward value, etc. Gamification information, as referred to herein, may include any information associated with providing one or more gaming related elements to the purchase transactions of the member  112 . For example, in the illustrated system  100 , gamification may include indicating the reward value of the member&#39;s purchase transaction when the amount of the member&#39;s purchase transaction satisfies the predefined metric amount criteria (or other predefined criteria, as may be desired), indicating a total reward value for the member&#39;s reward account, and providing (or adding) the newly earned reward value to the member&#39;s reward account. In connection therewith, the member  112  is able to view total reward value in the member&#39;s account, and potential reward levels for redemption, etc. 
     In addition, the transaction rating service  110  (e.g., via the reward engine  124 , etc.) also permits the member  112  to view, through the one or more interfaces, additional information such as transaction data relating to the member&#39;s purchase transaction, transaction data relating to prior ones of the member&#39;s purchase transactions, one or more metric amounts applied to the member&#39;s purchase transactions, reward value redemption data, etc. Further, the transaction rating service  110  (e.g., again via the reward engine  124 , etc.) also accepts inputs (e.g., transaction requests, etc.) from the member  112 , again via the member&#39;s computing device  118  (via an input device) to redeem (or use) reward value from the member&#39;s reward account (e.g., to purchase one or more products, to redeem as cash value, etc.). Once used, the reward value is then debited, by the reward engine  124 , from the member&#39;s reward account. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary computing device  200 . For purposes of the description herein, each of the computing devices  114  and  118  shown in  FIG. 1  is a computing device, consistent with computing device  200 . It should be appreciated that the computing devices  114  and  118  of  FIG. 1  should not be understood to be limited to the arrangement of the computing device  200 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Different components and/or arrangements of components may be used in other computing devices. In various embodiments, the computing device  200  includes multiple computing devices located in close proximity, or distributed over a geographic region. 
     The illustrated computing device  200  includes a processor  202  and a memory  204  that is coupled to the processor  202 . The processor  202  may include one or more processing units (e.g., in a multi-core configuration, etc.). The computing device  200  is programmable to perform one or more operations described herein by programming the processor  202  and/or the memory  204 . The processor  202  may include, but is not limited to, a general purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic circuit (PLC), a gate array, and/or any other circuit or processor capable of the functions described herein. The above examples are exemplary only, and thus are not intended to limit in any way the definition and/or meaning of processor. 
     The memory  204 , as described herein, is one or more devices that enable information, such as executable instructions and/or other data, to be stored and retrieved. The memory  204  may be configured to store, without limitation, transaction data relating to purchase transactions, categories for products and/or services involved in purchase transactions, metric amounts (or other predefined criteria) for products and/or services involved in purchase transactions, reward account data, and/or other types of data suitable for use as described herein, etc. In addition, the memory  204  may include one or more computer-readable media, such as, without limitation, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), solid state devices, flash drives, CD-ROMs, thumb drives, tapes, flash drives, hard disks, and/or any other type of volatile or nonvolatile physical or tangible computer-readable media. Further, computer-readable media may, in some embodiments, be selectively insertable to and/or removable from the computing device  200  to permit access to and/or execution by the processor  202  (although this is not required). 
     In various embodiments, computer-executable instructions may be stored in the memory  204  for execution by the processor  202  to cause the processor  202  to perform one or more of the functions described herein, such that the memory  204  is a physical, tangible, and non-transitory computer-readable media. It should be appreciated that the memory  204  may include a variety of different memories, each implemented in one or more of the functions or processes described herein. 
     The computing device  200  also includes an output device  206  and an input device  208  coupled to the processor  202 . 
     The output device  206  outputs information and/or data (e.g., transaction data for purchase transactions, reward account data, or any other type of data, etc.) to a user by, for example, displaying, audibilizing, and/or otherwise outputting the information and/or data. In some embodiments, the output device  206  may comprise a display device such that various interfaces (e.g., webpages, etc.) may be displayed at computing device  200 , and in particular at the display device, to display such information and/or data, etc. And in some examples, the computing device  200  may also (or alternatively) cause the interfaces to be displayed at a display device of another computing device, including, for example, a server hosting a website having multiple webpages, etc. With that said, the output device  206  may include, without limitation, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, an “electronic ink” display, speakers, combinations thereof, etc. In addition, the output device  206  may include multiple devices. 
     The input device  208  is configured to receive input from a user. For example, the input device  208  may be configured to receive any desired type of input from the user, for example, as part of evaluating transaction data, redeeming reward value, etc. In the exemplary embodiment, the input device  208  may include, without limitation, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch sensitive panel (e.g., a touch pad or a touch screen, etc.), another computing device, and/or an audio input device. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, a touch screen, such as that included in a tablet, a smartphone, or similar device, may function as both the output device  206  and the input device  208 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the computing device  200  also includes a network interface  210  coupled to the processor  202 . The network interface  210  may include, without limitation, a wired network adapter, a wireless network adapter, a mobile telecommunications adapter, or other device capable of communicating to one or more different networks, including the network  116 . In some exemplary embodiments, the computing device  200  includes the processor  202  and one or more network interfaces incorporated into or with the processor  202 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary method  300  of managing the purchase transaction of the member  112 , and particularly the amount of the purchase transaction, to help reduce any unnecessary or unneeded excess of such amount. The method  300  can be implemented in connection with the system  100  of  FIG. 1  and is described herein as implemented in the transaction rating service  110  of the system  100  (e.g., in the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , etc.), with further reference to the group  102 , the acquirer  104 , the payment service  106 , the issuer  108 , and the member  112 . In addition, for purposes of illustration, the exemplary method  300  is described herein with reference to the computing device  200 . However, the methods herein should not be understood to be limited to the exemplary system  100 , or the exemplary computing device  200 . Similarly, the systems and the computing devices herein should not be understood to be limited to the exemplary method  300 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , and as previously described in connection with the system  100 , the member  112  of the group  102  initiates the purchase transaction at the merchant for a desired product and/or service at  302  by presenting the payment device to the merchant. In response, the merchant, the acquirer  104 , the payment service  106 , and the issuer  108  cooperate to authorize and clear the purchase transaction. 
     Upon completion of the purchase transaction at  302  (or before), the transaction rating service  110  receives the transaction data for the purchase transaction at  304  and stores the transaction data in the data structure  122 . In some aspects, the transaction data is received from the payment service  106 , at  306 , based on the PAN of the payment account used by the member  112  in the purchase transaction. For example, when the payment service  106  receives the PAN, in connection with processing the purchase transaction, it also identifies that the PAN is associated with the reward program provided by the transaction rating service  110  and transmits the transaction data for the purchase transaction to the transaction rating service  110 . In other aspects, the transaction data is received from the group  102 , at  308 . For example, when the member  112  submits a request to the group  102  for reimbursement of the amount associated with the purchase transaction, the group  102  then transmits the transaction data associated with the purchase transaction to the transaction rating service  110  (e.g., as part of the reimbursement request, etc.). 
     Next, at  310 , the transaction rating service  110  accesses the transaction data for the purchase transaction, in the data structure  122  (e.g., via the reward engine  124 , via the processor  202  associated with the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , etc.). As part of accessing the transaction data at  310 , the transaction rating service  110  identifies an amount of the purchase transaction by the member  112 , at  312 , and assigns a category to the purchase transaction, at  314 , based on a type of the product and/or service involved in the purchase transaction (e.g., a hotel room category, a rental car category, an airline ticket category, etc.). Also as part of accessing the transaction data at  310 , the transaction rating service  110  identifies the member  112  associated with the purchase transaction, at  316 , and identifies an account number for the member&#39;s reward account, at  318 . 
     At about the same time, or before or after, the transaction rating service  110  identifies a metric amount at  320  for use in comparing to the amount of the purchase transaction. In the illustrated method  300 , the metric amount is identified in the data structure  122 , from multiple different metric amounts, based on the category assigned to the purchase transaction at  314 . And, the metric amount includes an average (or mean) amount for the purchase transaction, based on transaction data for related purchase transactions assigned to the same category as the member&#39;s purchase transaction and associated with multiple members  112  of the group  102 . In some embodiments, the transaction rating service  110  may generate (or calculate) the metric amount (e.g., via the reward engine  124 , etc.). While in other embodiments, the metric amount may be generated by other entities, and then transmitted to the transaction rating service  110 . 
     The transaction rating service  110  then compares the amount of the member&#39;s purchase transaction to the metric amount at  322 . If the amount of the purchase transaction satisfies the metric amount, at  324 , the transaction rating service  110  determines a reward value at  326  to transfer to the member&#39;s reward account, and then transfers the determined reward value to the member&#39;s reward account at  328 . In the illustrated method  300 , the amount of the purchase transaction satisfies the metric amount, at  324 , if it is about the same as or less than the metric amount. And, the reward value transferred to the member&#39;s reward account, at  328 , includes a first point total for simply satisfying the metric amount and a second, additional point total for each dollar that the amount of the purchase transaction is less than the metric amount (i.e., for the difference between the amount of the purchase transaction and the metric amount). The first and second point totals are then combined as the reward value. It should be appreciated, however, that other reward value determinations may be used within the scope of the present disclosure. Alternatively, if the amount of the purchase transaction does not satisfy the metric amount at  324 , the transaction rating service  110  takes no further action as indicated at  330  (e.g., with regard to the member&#39;s reward account, etc.). 
     In addition, at any time at a request of the member  112  or in connection with transferring reward value to the member&#39;s reward account (or both), the transaction rating service  110  causes a reward interface to display at the member&#39;s computing device  118  at  332  (via the output device  206 ), providing the member  112  with access to his/her reward account (e.g., via login credentials, etc.). Through the interface, the member  112  is then able to view various information relating to his/her reward account such as, for example, total reward value, different reward levels, reward value redemption options, purchase data for purchase transactions, metric amounts, etc. Also through the interface, the member  112  can redeem value from the reward account by submitting a redemption request to the transaction rating service  110 . The redemption request is received by the transaction rating service  110  at  334 , at the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , and then processed as appropriate, by the computing device  114  of the transaction rating service  110 , at  336  (e.g., by facilitating a purchase request for products and/or services using the redemption reward value, etc.). The redemption reward value is then debited, at  338 , from the total reward value of the member&#39;s reward account (e.g., by the reward engine  124  in the data structure  122 , etc.). 
     Again, and as previously described, it should be appreciated that the functions described herein, in some embodiments, may be described in computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable media, and executable by one or more processors. The computer readable media is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. 
     It should also be appreciated that one or more aspects of the present disclosure transform a general-purpose computing device into a special-purpose computing device when configured to perform the functions, methods, and/or processes described herein. 
     As will be appreciated based on the foregoing specification, the above-described embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented using computer programming or engineering techniques including computer software, firmware, hardware or any combination or subset thereof, wherein the technical effect may be achieved by performing at least one of the following steps: (a) accessing transaction data for a purchase transaction by a member of a group having multiple members, where the transaction data includes an amount of the purchase transaction; (b) assigning a category to the purchase transaction based on a type of product and/or service associated with the purchase transaction; (c) generating a metric amount, based on transaction data for related purchase transactions assigned to the same category as the member&#39;s purchase transaction and associated with the multiple members of the group; (d) identifying the metric amount, in a data structure, from multiple different metric amounts based on the category of the purchase transaction; (e) comparing the amount of the purchase transaction to the metric amount; (f) transferring value to a reward account associated with the member, when the amount of the purchase transaction is about equal to or less than the metric amount; (g) receiving a transaction request from the member to use a redemption value from the member&#39;s reward account; and (h) debiting the redemption value from the total value of the member&#39;s reward account. 
     With that said, exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements and operations, these elements and operations should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element or operation from another element or operation. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element operation could be termed a second element or operation without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments. 
     The foregoing description of exemplary embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.