# US 2013/0159085 A1 · Systems and methods for registering consumers in a consumer program while accessing a network

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- Number: US 2013/0159085 A1
- Document ID: US20130159085A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/708,814
- Filed: 2012-12-07
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-08
- Assignees: Vpromos, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeffrey W. Mankoff; Bruce Rhoads
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159085A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0226: Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Described are methods and systems for registering consumers with merchant loyalty or other merchant programs by using a credit card or other form of payment to register the consumer, and thereafter automatically recognizing the consumer as a member in the program based on subsequent purchases made using the form of payment. Consumer rewards can then be automatically applied during the purchase transactions with the merchant. Thus, the present disclosure allows for consumers to seamlessly and transparently gain the benefits of consumer programs merely by purchasing goods and services using forms of payment, without consumers needing to carry additional cards or coupons or login information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for registering consumers and associated forms of payment in a consumer program, the system comprising:
a computer-server connected to a network;
a database connected to the computer-server for storing consumer information;
wherein the computer-server is operable to:
receive, from a payment system via electronic communications over the network, a token associated with a form of payment, wherein the form of payment is associated with a transaction initiated by the consumer at a merchant associated with the consumer program;
compare the token associated with the form of payment with consumer program member records of the database to determine whether the form of payment is associated with a registered consumer program member;
if the comparison determines that the token is not associated with a registered consumer program member, instruct a point of sale terminal at the merchant to input an electronic address associated with a client device of the consumer;
transmit information for registering in the consumer program to the electronic address associated with the client device of the consumer, wherein the electronic address was entered into the point of sale terminal at the merchant;
receive an electronic communication from the consumer indicating that the consumer is registering the form of payment in the consumer program, wherein the electronic communication is an electronic message; and
upon receipt of the electronic message, store the token associated with the form of payment in a record associated with the consumer in the database.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-server comprises a gateway processor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-server comprises multiple computer-servers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the database comprises multiple databases.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the form of payment is selected from the group consisting of: credit cards, debit cards, electronic payment accounts, consumer billing systems, cell-phone-based electronic payment systems, and PDA-based electronic communication systems.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the client device is selected from the group consisting of: mobile devices, cell phones, laptop computers, desktop computers, end user devices, video monitors, cameras, and PDAs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic address is selected from the group consisting of: a mobile phone number, an e-mail address, and a device ID.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic address was entered into the point of sale terminal by an agent of the merchant.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the point of sale terminal is a consumer-facing terminal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the consumer-facing terminal is a tablet, and wherein the consumer agrees to the terms and conditions of the consumer program using the tablet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the point of sale terminal is a cashier-facing terminal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-server is further operable to transmit instructions to the point of sale terminal to apply consumer rewards to the transaction initiated by the consumer at the merchant associated with the consumer program.

### Claim 13 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-server is further operable to store transaction information in the database to track the consumer rewards applied to the transaction initiated by the consumer.

### Claim 14

A system for registering a consumer in a consumer program, the system comprising:
a computer-server connected to a network;
a database connected to the computer-server for storing consumer information;
wherein the computer-server is operable to:
receive a token associated with a form of payment, wherein the form of payment is associated with a transaction initiated by the consumer at a merchant associated with the consumer program;
generate an activation code, wherein the activation code associates the consumer with the form of payment;
transmit the activation code to an electronic address associated with a client device of the consumer;
receive an electronic communication from the consumer associated with the activation code; and
upon receipt of the electronic communication, register the consumer in the consumer program and store the token associated with the form of payment in a record associated with the consumer in the database.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the computer-server is further operable to transmit the activation code to the client device associated with the consumer via near-field communications.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the client device is selected from the group consisting of: mobile devices, cell phones, laptop computers, desktop computers, end user devices, video monitors, cameras, and PDAs.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic address is selected from the group consisting of: a mobile phone number, an e-mail address, and a device ID.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic communication from the consumer is selected from the group consisting of: an SMS message and an e-mail.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the computer-server comprises multiple computer-servers.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the database comprises multiple databases.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the computer-server is operable to transmit the activation code to a point of sale terminal, wherein the point of sale terminal prints the activation code on a receipt presented to the consumer.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the computer-server is operable to receive the electronic communication as the activation code that has been inputted by the consumer at a website associated with the consumer program indicating that the consumer is registering in the consumer program.

### Claim 23

A method for registering a consumer in a consumer program, the method comprising:
receiving, from a merchant associated with the consumer program, at a computer-server connected to a network, a token associated with a form of payment, wherein the form of payment is associated with a transaction initiated by the consumer at the merchant;
transmitting, by the computer-server, information for registering in the consumer program to the consumer;
receiving, by the computer-server, an electronic communication from the consumer indicating that the consumer is registering in the consumer program; and
automatically linking, by the computer-server, the form of payment with the consumer program in which the consumer is registered.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the merchant is an online merchant.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, comprising transmitting, by the computer-server, information for registering in the consumer program to an electronic address associated with a client device of the consumer.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the electronic address was received from a communication network associated with the merchant.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising generating, by the computer-server, an activation code, wherein the activation code associates the consumer with the form of payment.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting, by the computer-server, the activation code to a client device associated with the consumer.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting, by the computer-server, the activation code to a point of sale terminal, wherein the point of sale terminal prints the activation code on a receipt presented to the consumer.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, comprising receiving, by the computer-server, the electronic communication as the activation code that has been inputted by the consumer at a website associated with the consumer program indicating that the consumer is registering in the consumer program.