Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Discount or incentive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-25
2001-02-27
Harrell, Robert (Department: 2758)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Discount or incentive
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195644
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
This invention was not made under any Federally-sponsored program and the Federal Government has no rights in the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer programs and systems for recording and processing data relating to consumer credit or debit card transactions with vendors who award bonus credits to such consumers.
2. Description of Related Art
Without acknowledging the same to be “prior art” within the meaning of the Patent Act, Applicant is aware only of (1) the patents cited during the examination of this application and (2) has seen advertisements for certain credit card programs—which Applicant believes were not developed until well after the present invention—whereby a certain credit card company “ties in” to a single airline. With respect to the latter, Applicant is unaware that such programs involve a system whereby the credit card company records the “Frequent Flyer” credits (or other bonus credits) offered by the airline, etc. or that any credit card company has developed any system of recording and processing bonus credits from a plurality of vendors for each card holder.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
Credit card companies (“CCCs”) record data representing charges made by their customers to purchase a variety of products and services from vendors thereof by electronic means, in written form and otherwise. The card companies input these charges into their computers and thereafter send a bill to their card customers and remit balances due the vendors.
Certain credit card companies, such as American Express, include in their computer records information in addition to the usual basic data that all card companies record, which basic information essentially is the transaction date, name of vendor and amount charged. The additional information referred to is a more extensive description of the transaction. Thus in the case of American Express, separate entries are made for airline tickets, tickets on other forms of transpiration, hotels, car rental companies, etc. A large and growing number of the latter class of vendors offer to their customers bonuses for purchasing their services and goods, which, in turn, has generated a very significant “brand loyalty”—because their customers have an incentive to continue to purchase—and even increase their purchases—of their services and goods in order to accumulate enough credits to earn the bonuses, such as free airline trips awarded by airlines under their popular “Frequent Flyer” Programs. Vendors offering such bonuses are hereinafter sometimes referred to as “Bonus Vendors” or, for short, “BVS”. Such Bonus Plans are sometimes referred to as “BPS”.
Bonus Plans offered by the BVs are growing rapidly. This has been of great brand loyalty benefit, but, because the transactions involving bonuses now involve millions of computer entries per year by the BVs, the cost of gathering purchase data, inputting the same into the computers of the BVs and sending statements thereof to the Bonus Plan Customers (hereinafter “BPCS”) has risen tremendously. This is especially true for those BVs who do not record their BPCs' Bonus Plan Number Identification (hereinafter “BPID”) in their computers, but, rather, require their BPCs to carry cards or coupons which must be inputted by the ticket sales person (in the case of cards) or attached to the ticket (in the case of the coupon system). This requires users of the Bonus Plans to carry a large number of such cards and coupons, creates many opportunities for error on the part of the BV, results in the loss of good will on the part of the BPCs when they forget to bring their cards or coupons and thereby lose the bonus, etc.
Moreover, the need to enter such card numbers or fill out and attach the coupons at the time of purchase significantly delays the transaction time. For example, airline ticket counters at major airports are often quite crowded, creating long lines of customers waiting to purchase tickets. The need on the part of the ticket agent and their customer to convey and record the customer's BPID extends the time of the ticketing process and adds to the delay which so annoys airline passengers and causes the airlines to actually lose goodwill.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4750119 (1988-06-01), Cohen et al.
US Credit Card Joint Marketing Ventures 1987 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam.
American, Citibank give cardholders mile for each dollar billed. (linking Master Card, Visa Card and AAdvantage; American Airlines Inc.).
Levere, Jane Travel Weekly v46 p6(1) Apr. 13, 1987.
Bank One, Columbus signs agreement with Continental Airlines and New York Air to offer credit card to frequent fliers. Sep. 4, 1986 PR Newswire NYPRCL7.
Continental sets bonus on Visa card; each use earns milage points. .Godwin, Nadine Travel Weekly v45 p1(2) Sep. 11, 1986.
New Allegis credit card to provide mileage bonus. (First Card) Deady, Tim Travel Weekly v46 p58(1) Jun. 4, 1987.
Texas Air sees brisk repsonse to credit card bonus program. (MasterCards give holders travel points) Deady, Tim Travel Weekly v45 p1(2) Dec. 8, 1986.
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