Automatically adding gratuity to amount charged in electronic transaction

A method, performed by a card association, for automatically adding gratuity to an electronic charge transaction, comprising the steps of:

• (a) maintaining, in a computer database,
• (i) account information that identifies an account of an account holder from which account payment is to be made, the identified account being held at a card issuer, and
• (ii) in association therewith, gratuity data for calculating an amount of gratuity associated with such payment,
• (iii) wherein the gratuity data is accessible from the computer database using the account information;
• and thereafter
• (b) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, and sent from a merchant,
• (i) the account information,
• (ii) an identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account that is identified by the account information, and
• (iii) a certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder;
• (c) using the received account information, electronically accessing, from the computer database, the gratuity data;
• (d) using the accessed gratuity data, calculating an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed;
• (e) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the card issuer,
• (i) the account information,
• (ii) the identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account identified by the account information, and
• (iii) the certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• (f) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, from the card issuer, an authorization code for payment from the account identified by the account information of a total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• and
• (g) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the merchant, the authorization code for payment from the account identified by the account information of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• such that authorization by the card issuer for payment from the account identified by the account information of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity authorized, and the receipt of such authorization by the merchant, occur prior to review of the calculated amount of gratuity by the account holder, whereby determining by the account holder an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed in order to leave gratuity is unnecessary, and whereby calculating by the account holder the total of the certain amount owed and the amount of gratuity in completing the electronic charge transaction is unnecessary.

A method, performed by a card association, for automatically adding gratuity to an electronic charge transaction, comprising the steps of:

• (a) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, and sent from a merchant,
• (i) account information that identifies an account of the account holder from which account payment is to be made, the account being held at a card issuer,
• (ii) an identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account identified by the account information, and
• (iii) a certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder;
• (b) using the received account information, electronically accessing gratuity data from a computer database using the account information;
• (c) using the accessed gratuity data, calculating an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed;
• (d) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the card issuer,
• (i) the account information,
• (ii) the identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made from the account identified by the account information, and
• (iii) the certain amount owed to the merchant by the account holder and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• (e) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, from the card issuer, an authorization code for payment from the account identified by the account information of a total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• and
• (f) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the merchant, the authorization code for payment from the account identified by the account information of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity;
• such that authorization by the card issuer for payment from the account identified by the account information of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity authorized, and the receipt of such authorization by the merchant, occur prior to review of the calculated amount of gratuity by the account holder, whereby determining by the account holder an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed in order to leave gratuity is unnecessary, and whereby calculating by the account holder the total of the certain amount owed and the amount of gratuity in completing the electronic charge transaction is unnecessary.

A method, performed by a card association, for automatically adding gratuity to an electronic charge transaction, comprising the steps of:

• (a) electronically receiving over one or more networks, for each of a plurality of electronic charge transactions,
• (i) account information that identifies an account held at a card issuer,
• (ii) an identification of a merchant to which the payment is to be made from the identified account, and
• (iii) a certain amount owed to the merchant;
• and
• (b) for each of said plurality of electronic charge transactions, performing the steps of
• (i) using the received account information, electronically accessing gratuity data from a computer database using the account information,
• (ii) using the accessed gratuity data, calculating an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed,
• (iii) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the card issuer at which is held the account identified by the account information,
• (A) the account information,
• (B) the identification of the merchant to which payment is to be made, and
• (C) the certain amount owed to the merchant and the calculated amount of gratuity,
• (iv) electronically receiving, over one or more networks, from the card issuer at which the identified account is held, an authorization code for payment from the identified account of a total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity, and
• (v) electronically communicating, over one or more networks, for receipt by the merchant to which payment is to be made, the authorization code for payment from the identified account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity,
• (vi) whereby authorization by the card issuer for payment from the identified account of the total of the certain amount owed and the calculated amount of gratuity authorized, and the receipt of such authorization by the merchant, occur prior to review of the calculated amount of gratuity by the account holder of the identified account, whereby determining by such account holder an amount of gratuity based on the certain amount owed in order to leave gratuity is unnecessary, and whereby calculating by such account holder the total of the certain amount owed and the amount of gratuity in completing the electronic charge transaction is unnecessary.