US 2012/0059701 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORFACILITATING A REWARDS PROGRAM INVOLVING MULTIPLE PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for linking multiple payment card accounts to a single rewards program account which include associating, in a program management computer system, a first program identifier with the single rewards program account, associating, in the program management computer system, the first program identifier with a first payment card account, associating, in the program management computer system, the first program identifier to at least a second payment card account; and storing, in the program management computer system, at least a first set of reward program rules associated with the single reward program account, the first set of reward program rules specifying at least one of a reward conversion ratio and a promotion rule. Payment transactions conducted using the first and at least second payment card accounts earning a reward amount are associated with the single rewards program account and the first set of reward program rules are applied to the payment transactions.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A computerized method for linking multiple payment card accounts to a single rewards program account, the method comprising:

associating, in a program management computer system, a first program identifier with said single rewards program account;
associating, in said program management computer system, said first program identifier with a first payment card account;
associating, in said program management computer system, said first program identifier to at least a second payment card account;
and
storing, in said program management computer system, at least a first set of reward program rules associated with said single reward program account, said first set of reward program rules specifying at least one of a reward conversion ratio and a promotion rule;
wherein payment transactions conducted using said first and at least second payment card accounts earning a reward amount are associated with said single rewards program account and said first set of reward program rules are applied to said payment transactions.

3 more elements

A computerized method for processing rewards transactions initiated by at least a first and a second payment card account associated with a single rewards program account, the method comprising:

receiving, from a merchant, data associated with a first transaction completed using a first payment card account, said data including a merchant identifier, a purchase amount, and a first payment account identifier;
identifying a single rewards program account associated with said first payment account identifier;
identifying at least a first conversion rule associated with said single rewards program account and applying said at least first conversion rule to said purchase amount to determine an amount of reward units associated with said first transaction;
retrieving a current reward units balance associated with said single rewards program account;
updating a rewards unit balance associated with said single rewards program account by adding said current reward units balance to said amount of rewards units associated with said first transaction and storing said rewards unit balance in said single rewards program account;
receiving, from a second merchant, data associated with at least a second transaction completed using a second payment card account, said data including a second merchant identifier, a second purchase amount and a second payment account identifier;
identifying said single rewards program account associated with said second payment account identifier;
identifying at least a second conversion rule associated with said single rewards program account and applying said at least second conversion rule to said second purchase amount to determine an amount of reward units associated with said second transaction;
retrieving a current reward units balance associated with said single rewards program account;
updating a rewards unit balance associated with said single rewards program account by adding said current reward units balance to said amount of rewards units associated with said second transaction and storing said rewards unit balance in said single rewards program account;
and
transmitting said rewards unit balance to a cardholder associated with said first and second payment accounts.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods forfacilitating a rewards program involving multiple payments accounts

Life of this patent

Systems and methods forfacilitating a rewards program involving multiple payments accounts

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15