Inserting value into customer account at point of sale using a customer account identifier
Assigneee2interactive, Inc.
InventorsPhil M Chakiris, Merrill Brooks Smith, Phillip Craig Graves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of adding a value to a customer account is provided. A request to add a value to a customer account of a customer is received from a point of sale terminal. The request may comprise value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with the customer account. The customer account identification data may be entered at the point of sale. The request may be associated with a purchase of the value. The value may be caused to be added to the customer account. During subsequent value purchase transactions, additional value may be added to the account.
Claims21
A method of adding a value to a pre-existing customer account with a specific provider, the method utilizing an electronic central processor in selective communication with a computerized point of sale (POS) system and the provider, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the electronic central processor, from the computerized POS system a request to add a value to the pre-existing customer account, wherein the computerized POS system is associated with a retailer and wherein the information is received from a processor of the retailer, the request, comprising:
- value identification data associated with the value;
- account identification data associated with the pre-existing customer account;
- determining, by the electronic central processor, the specific provider based on the account identification data received from the computerized POS system;
- and
- providing, by the electronic central processor, to the processor of the specific provider, information that identifies the value and information that identifies the pre-existing customer account.
A system of adding a value to a pre-existing customer account with a specific provider, the system comprising:
- an input device in selective communication with at least one point of sale (POS) system associated with a retailer for receiving from the POS system a request to add the value to the pre-existing customer account, the request comprising value identification data associated with the value and account identification data associated with the pre-existing customer account received from a processor of the retailer;
- a processor fir determining the specific provider based at least in part on the account identification data;
- and
- an output device for communicating, by the central processor, with a processor of the specific provider and providing to specific provider information that identifies the value and information that identifies the pre-existing customer account.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.