Processing electronic rebates
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKevin Peter Kepros, Michael Robert Lenz, Rick William Stuart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and article of manufacture for processing electronic rebates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a purchase identifier is linked to a purchase of a product. The purchase identifier is listed on a receipt upon the purchase of the product or contained in an electronic mail message sent to an electronic mail address accessible using a user computer system. Information is then received via a network from a user of the user computer system to complete a rebate claim for the purchased product. The received information is verified to determine whether the purchase identifier was provided. The rebate claim is granted if the received information is verified as correct.
Claims20
A rebate server computer system for processing electronic rebates, the rebate server computer system comprising:
- a memory for storing an electronic rebate program;
- a processor which, upon executing the electronic rebate program is configured to:
- link a purchase identifier to a purchase of a product, wherein the linking comprises:
- receiving, by the rebate server computer system via a network, a request for the purchase identifier from a store computer system connected to the network;
- generating, by the rebate server computer system, the purchase identifier for the purchase of the product;
- and
- transmitting, by the rebate server computer system via the network, the purchase identifier to the store computer system;
- receive information, via a network, entered from a user of a user computer system to complete a rebate claim for the purchased product;
- verify the received information to determine whether the received information includes a match to the purchase identifier previously generated by the rebate server computer system;
- and
- accept the rebate claim if the received information is verified as a valid rebate claim.
A computer readable storage medium storing a software program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising:
- linking a purchase identifier to a purchase of a product, wherein the linking comprises:
- receiving, by a rebate server computer system via a network, a request for the purchase identifier from a store computer system connected to the network;
- generating, by the rebate server computer system, the purchase identifier for the purchase of the product;
- and
- transmitting, by the rebate server computer system via the network, the purchase identifier to the store computer system;
- receiving information, via the network, entered by a user of a user computer system to complete a rebate claim for the purchased product;
- verifying the received information to determine whether the received information includes a match to the purchase identifier previously generated by the rebate server computer system;
- and
- accepting the rebate claim from the user if the received information is verified as a valid rebate claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.