This patent for letters patent disclosure document describes inventive aspects that include various novel innovations (hereinafter “disclosure”) and contains material that is subject to copyright, mask work, and/or other intellectual property protection. The respective owners of such intellectual property have no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the disclosure by anyone as it appears in published Patent Office file/records, but otherwise reserve all rights.
The present innovations generally address apparatuses, methods, and systems for electronic commerce, and more particularly, include ELECTRONIC OFFER OPTIMIZATION AND REDEMPTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“EOOR”).
Payment card companies offer payment cards with different terms, features, and/or rewards. Consumers may own multiple payment cards to purchase products and make payments to merchants. Consumers may also use coupons in order to get a discount on a purchase.
Consumer transactions requires a customer to select a product from a store shelf or website, and then to check the out at a checkout counter or webpage. Product information is selected from a webpage catalog or entered into a point-of-sale terminal device, or the information is entered automatically by scanning an item barcode with an integrated barcode scanner. The customer is usually provided with a number of payment options, such as cash, check, credit card or debit card. Once payment is made and approved, the point-of-sale terminal memorializes the transaction in the merchant's computer system, and a receipt is generated indicating the satisfactory consummation of the transaction.
The accompanying appendices and/or drawings illustrate various non-limiting, example, inventive aspects in accordance with the present disclosure:
The leading number of each reference number within the drawings indicates the figure in which that reference number is introduced and/or detailed. As such, a detailed discussion of reference number 101 would be found and/or introduced in
The ELECTRONIC OFFER OPTIMIZATION AND REDEMPTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (hereinafter “EOOR”) transform payment card information, user card selection preference, and purchase inputs, via EOOR components, into card addition completion, and purchase transactions using optimized payment card and coupon outputs.
For example, a consumer may enroll with an electronic wallet service (e.g., Visa V-Wallet) by creating an e-wallet account and adding a payment account to the e-wallet (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, a PayPal account, etc.). In one implementation, the consumer may fill in information such as but not limited to the card number, bank routing number, CCV code, and/or the like in order to submit a wallet enrollment request. In another implementation, the consumer may operate a camera-enabled mobile device to snap a picture of the payment card, and submit it to EOOR, which may in turn process the received card image and obtain card information for consumer card enrollment.
As another example, the EOOR may generate an optimized card selection for purchasing an item. For example, different payment cards may have different offers/rewards for card usage, e.g. mileage, cash back, additional purchase discounts based on category of purchased items and/or a merchant, etc. A consumer may desire to use the payment card that could optimize his benefits when he makes the purchase with a selected card. In one implementation, the EOOR may recommend a payment card for a particular purchase to optimize the consumer's benefits.
Integration of an electronic wallet, a desktop application, a plug-in to existing applications, a standalone mobile application, a web based application, a smart prepaid card, and/or the like in capturing payment transaction related objects such as purchase labels, payment cards, barcodes, receipts, and/or the like reduces the number of network transactions and messages that fulfill a transaction payment initiation and procurement of payment information (e.g., the consumer does not need to walk to a bank branch, call a bank customer service, or manually type in required card information for a card enrollment, and/or the like). In this way, with the reduction of network communications, the number of transactions that may be processed per day is increased, i.e., processing efficiency is improved. By providing the direct mechanism which to provide offers to consumers, by engaging and having offers optimized for consumers, statistics may be provided to merchants and/or issuers regarding the efficacy in usage of such offers, which will reduce spam offers that may waste bandwidth, storage, and/or otherwise render the offer usage untargeted, undirected, inefficient and ineffective.
It should be noted that although a mobile platform is depicted, a digital/electronic wallet, a smart/prepaid card linked to a user's various payment accounts, and/or other payment platforms are contemplated embodiments as well; as such, subset and superset features and data sets of each or a combination of the aforementioned payment platforms may be accessed, modified, provided, stored, etc. via cloud/server services (e.g., via web, app, and/or the like interfaces, etc.) and a number of varying client devices throughout the instant specification. Similarly, although mobile wallet user interface elements are depicted, alternative and/or complementary user interfaces are also contemplated including: desktop applications, plug-ins to existing applications, stand alone mobile applications, web based applications (e.g., applications with web objects/frames, HTML 5 applications/wrappers, web pages, etc.), a voice interface (e.g., Apple Siri, Samsung S Voice, Google Voice, etc.) and other interfaces are contemplated. It should be further noted that the EOOR payment processing component may be integrated with an digital/electronic wallet (e.g., a Visa V-Wallet, etc.), comprise a separate stand alone component instantiated on a user device, comprise a server/cloud accessed component, be loaded on a smart/prepaid card that can be substantiated at a PoS terminal, an ATM, a kiosk, etc., which may be accessed through a physical card proxy, and/or the like. In this way, the EOOR reduces redundant information exchange and communication messages between consumers and an issuing bank, and thus improves network transmission and processing efficiency.
In some embodiments, the EOOR may allow Pay Network server to determine the routing and selection of all cards for a consumer that are optimal for the Pay Network server, the consumer, the merchant or the Issuer. In some embodiments, a customer may register several cards with EOOR. Payment cards may be associated with either a wallet account, or a pseudo Permanent Account Number (“PAN”). In some embodiments, the pseudo PAN may be assigned if a consumer doesn't have a payment card to associate other cards with. The consumer may make a payment at a traditional Point Of Sale device using the master Pan.
In some embodiments, the payment could initiated by the actual master card, or be a special card with the pseudo Pan, or a smart phone, or any mechanism that could pass the desired PAN. The pseudo PAN may be a static or dynamic pseudo Pan. In some embodiments, the Master Pan may be processed to the Pay Network server, so all upstream Bin tables may point at the Pay Network server.
In some embodiments, after the swipe, contact, NFC, and/or the like, the payment arrives at the Pay Network server. Once at the Pay Network server, the Pay Network server may determine the optimal card to use. Selection of the optimal card may be weighted to benefit any party, e.g., what is best for the customer, what is best for the merchant, what is best for the issuer, what is best for the Pay Network server, and/or the like.
In some embodiments, once the determination is made, the master pan may be replaced with the optimal pan and the transaction may be routed accordingly. In some embodiments, when the response is received, the master pan may be substituted back in.
In some embodiments, if the payment is declined, and time remains, a second pan may be tried.
In some embodiments, at payment time, a consumer may make a payment using their mobile device, e.g., NFC chip on their phone. In some embodiments, the phone may be preloaded with several cards, with different brands, and/or different loyalty programs. An application on the phone (or working in conjunction with a backend system) may recognize the merchant the consumer is doing business with, via, for example, Geo coordinates, camera scan, listening, and/or the like.
In some embodiments, once the merchant is recognized the service may select the optimal card for the consumer to make the purchase. Optimization may be any combination of factors, e.g., customer preferences, balance on cards, loyalty programs, gas pays more on one card than another, relationship of the merchant to the issuer, and/or the like.
As shown in
After the image has been captured, Coupon Keeper processes the captured information. In one implementation, this is accomplished by performing an optical character recognition (OCR) scan on the image to extract customer information. Coupon Keeper may also determine the characteristics of any images on the card and compare the images to known images in a database. In one exemplary embodiment, Coupon Keeper may access a database of logos of merchants to determine which merchant issued the card.
Once the information has been extracted and processed from the image, Coupon Keeper stores the information in a secure profile for user 101. Authorization by the user may be required before extracted information can be stored in the secure profile. In one implementation, this authorization can be accomplished by using a trusted device, such as a smart phone or computer previously registered to the user. In another implementation, the authorization may be accomplished by requiring the user to enter a user name and password at the appropriate time.
Once the extracted information has been stored in the secure profile, the user will then be able to access and use the information using a secure digital wallet, accessible to the user on any number of devices capable of connecting to the Internet. As shown in
Alternatively, the OCR procedure to obtain card information may be performed at the Pay Network server 203 (and/or other servers) to improve client end processing efficiency, e.g., the user 201 may capture an image of the card, and send the card image to the Pay Network server 203 in a new card request message 215. For example, an exemplary HTTPS POST new card request 215 may be substantially in the form of XML, as provided below:
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desc P bdscm {acute over ( )} {hacek over (S)}cprt └@ $wtpt └d ¶rXYZ └x ¶gXYZ └
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The Pay Network server may verify the user's authentication information and if verified, process the new card request 220. The Pay Network server may generate a search query 225 to retrieve the new card's terms, features, and/or rewards information (hereinafter “rewards data”). In some implementations, the server may send the query 230 to the web with rewards program database(s) 208 to retrieve the rewards data 235. In some implementations, the server may send the search query 240 to the new card's issuer server 206 and retrieve the rewards data 245. For example, the Pay Network server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
Upon receiving the rewards data, the Pay Network server may send a user card selection preference request 250 to the user or user wallet device. An example user interface to provide input on the user card selection preference is provided in
In some implementations, the wallet device may generate a user card selection preference request message, and provide the generated user card selection preference request message to the Pay Network server, e.g., 260. For example, the Pay Network server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message including an XML-formatted user card selection preference request message, e.g., 260, similar to the example listing provided below:
In some embodiments, the new card data, card rewards data, and user card selection preference data may be stored 265 in Pay Network database(s). The Pay Network server may generate a new card addition completion message 270 and send to the user for display 275.
In some embodiments, the card's issuer server may provide card rewards program dta 330 to the Pay Network Server. Upon receiving the rewards data, the Pay Network server may generate and send user card selection preference request 345 to the user. The user may provide user card selection preference data 350 back to the Pay Network Server. Upon receiving the user card selection preference data 355, the Pay Network server may store the new card data, card rewards program data, and user preference data 360 to Pay Network Database(s). In some embodiments, the Pay Network Server may generate a new card addition completion message 365 and send the message to user for display 370.
In some embodiments, if the user's authentication is not verified 320, the Pay Network server may generate a user unverified message 335 and send the mssage to the user for display 340.
The benefit preference setting 429 include options that the user may choose in order to maximize the benefits. For example, in some implementations, the user may desire to let the server choose the best payment card for a particular purchase if this selection may maximize the overall dollar savings, maximize the upfront dollar savings, maximize cash back dollar savings, maximize the rewards points, provides lowest insert, best insurance terms, and/or the like. The Spend range setting 417 may provide limits of each purchase that the payment card is allowed to make. The proximity setting 419 may be selected by a user to view a list of merchants that are geographically in close proximity to the user. There may be a geography setting 421, which may be selected by a user so that only purchases in these geography locations are allowed (e.g., US and Taiwan). There may be a frequency setting 423, which may be selected by a user so that a payment card may only be used in the selected frequency (e.g., once per month). There may be a overall spend setting 425, which may be set up by a user so that the balance of a payment card needs to be maintained below a selected limit (e.g., lower than $1,500).
In some embodiments, a user may also have an option to select multiple cards to set up the card selector preference, e.g., 407 and 431. In a panel of purchase controls 433, a user may select multiple cards for the server to determine the best payment card to use. For example, a user may choose three of four payment cards 435, 437, 441 to use. One of the four payment cards 439 is not selected in the EOOR payment card selector component, as an illustrating example only. When a user makes a purchase that satisfies the preferences pre-set in the purchase controls panel, the Pay Network server may compare the rewards data of the selected three cards, and select the optimized card for payment.
In some implementations, the client may generate a purchase order message and provide, e.g., 520, the generated purchase order message to the merchant server. For example, a browser application executing on the client may provide, on behalf of the user, a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) GET message including the product order details for the merchant server in the form of data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) GET message including an XML-formatted purchase order message, e.g., 520:
In some embodiments, the PoS client may provide a transaction authorization input, e.g., 522, to the Pay Network server. In some embodiments, the transaction authorization input may be provided from the Merchant server to the Pay Network server. In embodiments where the user utilizes a plastic card instead of the user wallet device, the user may swipe the plastic card at the PoS client to transfer information from the plastic card into the PoS client, and then further to the Pay Network server. For example, the PoS client may obtain, as transaction authorization input 522, track 1 data from the user's plastic card (e.g., credit card, debit card, prepaid card, charge card, etc.), such as the example track 1 data provided below:
The user or user wallet device 501 may initiate out of band communications 515 with purchase details (e.g., the products to be purchased in a transaction, and/or the like) with the Pay Network server 503. In embodiments where the user utilizes a user wallet device, the user wallet device may provide payment information to the PoS client, formatted according to a data formatting protocol appropriate to the communication mechanism employed in the communication between the user wallet device and the PoS client. An example listing of the out of band communications, e.g., 515, substantially in the form of XML-formatted data, is provided below:
The Pay Network server may retrieve the user wallet account data 525 from the Pay Network database(s) 507. Upon receiving the wallet account data which may include the payment cards data and the user card selector preference data, the Pay Network server may determine an optimized payment card application 530. The Pay Network server may identify an issuer associated with the selected card 535 and verify coupon and/offers applied 536. The Pay Network server may send a card authorization request 550 to the issuer server 506. Once authorized, the issuer server may send the card authorization message 555 back to the Pay Network server. In some implementations, the Pay Network server may optionally send a card selection approval request to the user or user wallet device 540.
If the user approves the card selection, the user or user wallet device may send a card selection approval message 545 back to the Pay Network server. For example, a browser application executing on the user's mobile device may provide, on behalf of the user, a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) GET message including the card selection details for the Pay Network server in the form of data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) GET message including an XML-formatted card selection approval message, e.g., 545:
Upon receiving the card authorization message from the issuer, the Pay Network may generate a transaction authorization message 560. The Pay Network server may send the transaction authorization message to the client 565. The client may further display the message to the user or user wallet device 570.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some implementations, when there is no coupons and/offer applied 632, the Pay Network Server may optionally send the card selection approval request to the user 633. The users or clients may optionally provide approval message 635. The Pay Network Server may receive the card selection approval message 637. The Pay Network Server may generate a card authorization forwarding request 639. The Issuer Server may perform an examination to check whether the transaction is authorized 641. If the transaction is authorized, then the Pay Network Server may generate a card authorization message 643. The Pay Network Server may generate a purchase completion message and send to user for display 645, after which the entire process may end. If the transaction is not authorized, then the Issuer Server may generate a card declined message 647. The Pay Network Server may perform an examination to check whether the card being considered is the last card 649. If it is the last card, then the Pay Network Server may generate a message that all cards have been declined and send the message to users for display 651, after which the entire process may end. If it is not the last card, then the Pay Network Server may select the next card in the sorted list 653 and optionally send card selection approval message to the user.
In some implementations, if there are coupons and/or offers that may be applicable 632, the Pay Network server may proceed to step 840 in
In some implementations, the EOOR server may determine if there are coupons or offers available for a particular purchase. For example, the EOOR server may determine the benefits obtained for each offer 670 and/or each coupon 675; and may proceed to select the offer and/or coupon that may maximize the user's benefits.
For both online and in-person transactions, a payment network server provides access to the secure digital wallet. In addition, the payment network server also searches for additional discounts applicable to a transaction at the time of purchase. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, payment network server may search the Internet for coupons that may be applied to the product selected by user. In another exemplary embodiment, payment network server may also search a designated email account, approved by the user, to find additional coupons applicable to the transaction. Once all of the applicable discounts have been found, user may be able to select which discounts, if any, they wish to apply to the transaction.
The transaction may occur at the physical location of a merchant. In this case, user may access EOOR using a smart phone or other suitable device or method. In one implementation, user may use a smart phone to communicate with a point-of-sale terminal of the merchant using near field communications (NFC), bluetooth, a QR code capture, or any other suitable technology. In this case, payment network server communicates with smart phone to provide both a secure method of payment and to apply any pertinent discounts to the transaction.
The transaction may also occur online, for example, using a website, a web app, a smart phone app, or by any other suitable means. When user is ready to proceed to checkout, they will be given the option of paying for the transaction using their secure digital wallet.
As shown in
To begin, user 701 captures an image of the card or other object, e.g., 708. This can be accomplished using a digital camera, a smart phone with an integrated camera, a webcam, a scanner, or any other suitable user device or devices, e.g. 708. In one embodiment, user 701 captures the information on the front of a loyalty card. Depending on the type of card, the user may capture an image of the front of the card, the back of the card, or both. Information on the card may include the user's name, a customer number, an expiration date, a security code, a photo, a corporate logo, and any other pertinent information. After the image of the card has been captured, user device 705 performs an optical character recognition (OCR) process to extract the card information, e.g., 709. In an alternate embodiment, the captured image may be sent directly to a server, such as the pay network server 704, which will perform the OCR process to extract the card information. A new card request, e.g. 710, which includes the information extracted as a result of the OCR process, is sent from user device 705 to pay network server 704. User device 705 may generate the new card request 710. For example, the user device may provide a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP(S)) POST message including data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (XML). For example, new card request 710 many be an HTTP(S) POST message similar to the message shown below:
Once pay server 704 has received the data associated with new card request 710, pay server 704 verifies the user information, and processes the new card request, e.g., 711. Processing the new card request may include, among other things, verifying that the user has an account with the owner of the pay network, determining whether the card issuer is a participant in a loyalty program, determining whether an incentive applies, and matching the user's account information with a digital wallet profile. Once the user's information has been verified, the pay network server may generate a card information data record, e.g., 712, from the new card request, and store the details of the data extracted from the card in a pay network database 707. For example, the pay network server 704 may issue PHP/SQL commands similar to the example listing below to store the card information in a database:
As shown in
Once pay network server 704 has received the request, pay network server 104 may authorize the request for payment, i.e., 715. Pay network server 704 may also determine whether there are discounts applicable to the particular merchant or to the particular purchase, i.e., 716. For example, pay network server may access the user's digital wallet profile, stored in the pay server database to determine if there are any loyalty cards, gift cards, or other discounts that can be applied to the user's purchase. In one exemplary embodiment, pay server also searches for additional discounts and coupons that may be available publicly on the Internet or elsewhere, and that can be applied to the requested transaction. Once pay network server has determined all discounts that may be applied to the transaction, the server sends the discount offer options, e.g. 717, to user device 705. The discount options may then be rendered and displayed by the user device, e.g., 718. The user 701 may then select which discounts he or she wishes to apply to the transaction, e.g. 719. Again, the available discounts may include discounts from rewards cards, loyalty cards, closed-loop credit cards, Internet coupons, or any other source. For example, a discount offer options message 717 may be sent in the form of an HTTP(S) POST request similar to the example below:
Once the user has made a selection, user device 705 may then send the discount offer selection information, e.g., 720 to pay network server 704 for processing. For example, a discount offer selection message 120 may be sent in the form of an HTTP(S) POST request similar to the example below:
After receiving the discount offer selections from user device 705, pay network server 704 then applies the discounts to the requested transaction and requests final authorization for the transaction, e.g., 721. Pay server 704 may then determine how to apply the discounts and allocate payment among various entities including merchants, manufacturers, retailers, and any other pertinent party. Authorization confirmation 722 is then sent to user device 705, which provides final authorization and confirmation of the discounts that are applied to the transaction.
Once the user has captured an image of the customer information, the user transmits the image to a pay network server, which has access to the user's secure digital wallet. The pay network server parses the discount information, e.g., 832 and sends this information to a pay network database where it is added to the user's digital wallet profile, e.g., 834. Processing of the discount information may be performed at either the user's client device, at the pay network server, or some combination of both. For example, the user may send only an image file to the pay network server, which then performs an optical character recognition (OCR) operation to extract the customer information shown in the image. Alternatively, the OCR operation may take place on the user's client device. Pattern recognition operations may also be performed to extract other relevant information from the image. Once the information has been stored in the user's digital wallet, it will become available during a checkout event initiated by the user.
The user initiates a checkout event when he or she would like to purchase a product, service, offering, or the like (product), from a merchant via a merchant online site or in the merchant's store. The user may communicate with a merchant server via a client. For example, the user may provide user input, e.g., 836, into the client indicating the user's desire to checkout shopping items in a (virtual) shopping cart. The client may generate a checkout request, e.g., 838, and provide the checkout request to the merchant server. The merchant server may obtain the checkout request from the client, and extract the checkout detail (e.g., XML data) from the checkout request, e.g., 840. The merchant server may extract the product data, as well as the client data from the checkout request. In some implementations, the merchant server may query, e.g., 842, a merchant database to obtain product data, e.g., 844, such as product pricing, sales tax, offers, discounts, rewards, and other information to process the purchase transaction.
EOOR Coupon Selector component then determines whether the merchant is enrolled with the pay network, e.g., 846. A merchant may enroll with the pay network to facilitate transactions at the merchant's website or at the merchant's store using the secure digital wallet. If the merchant is not enrolled with the pay network, EOOR Coupon Selector component may use location-based services, geo-coding, or other suitable means to determine where the user is located, and if the user is at the store of a merchant. For example, the pay network server may determine the location of a user's client device—a smart phone, perhaps—and then compare that location to a database of known merchant locations in the area. By this method, EOOR Coupon Selector component is able to determine the location and the name of the merchant.
Once the location of the merchant has been determined and verified, any coupons and discounts added to the consumer's digital wallet, for example at 834, will be automatically included in the checkout data to be sent back to the user's device. Further, the pay network server may also search for additional discounts that may be available to the user, e.g., 850, based on the merchant information and the product information received from the merchant. For example, the pay network server may search the Internet or other publicly available networks for applicable discounts. The pay network server may also pull information from coupon aggregators, social media networks, or any other source.
In one embodiment, a user will provide his or her authentication information for social network accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or the like, and the pay network server will determine if the user's feeds on each of these services contain discount information. Similarly, the user may provide a designated email account, which the pay network server will then search to determine if there are any applicable discounts that were sent to the user by email. In another embodiment, if the user does not wish to permit the pay network server to access his or her primary email account, the user may forward any discounts to a dedicated email address, maintained by the pay network provider, which can then be searched for discounts at the time of purchase.
The pay network server will then access the user's secure digital wallet, e.g., 852, and then all discounts, both from the digital wallet, and as a result of the pay network server searching other sources, will be applied to the user's transaction, e.g., 854. EOOR Coupon Selector component may then query the merchant database regarding the items that the user has selected to purchase, i.e., 856. The component may then apply any available merchant discounts to the selected purchase items at 860. In one exemplary embodiment, if there are numerous query results relevant and applicable to each selected purchase item (e.g., in a shopping cart), they may be relevantly sorted for each cart item. All relevant discounts, including discounts from the digital wallet, from outside sources, and from the merchant, are then sorted by relevance 862, and displayed to the user, 864 on the user's device The user then provides payment input, after which the user's device will generate a card authorization request.
In one implementation, the Pay Network server 704 may store the card and offer information associated with the user's 701 wallet profile at a central or distributed data repository, and perform the card/coupon selector procedure as described in
Selecting link 1012 will present a user with loyalty card addition screen 1014-1016, as shown in
Within implementations, the EOOR may be integrated with an electronic mobile wallet, which may transform touchscreen inputs into a virtual wallet mobile application interface, via EOOR components, into purchase transaction triggers and receipt notices.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may provide a ‘discover shopping’ mode 1211. For example, the virtual wallet application executing on a user device may communicate with a server. The server may provide information to the virtual wallet on the consumer trends across a broad range of consumers in the aggregate. For example, the server may indicate what types of transactions consumers in the aggregate are engaging in, what they are buying, which reviews they pay attention to, and/or the like. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may utilize such information to provide a graphical user interface to facilitate the user's navigation through such aggregate information, such as described in the discussion below with reference to
In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to simultaneously maintain a plurality of shopping carts, e.g., 1212-1213. Such carts may, in some implementation, be purely virtual carts for an online website, but in alternate implementations, may reflect the contents of a physical cart in a merchant store. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to specify a current cart to which items the user desires will be placed in by default, unless the user specifies otherwise. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to change the current cart (e.g., 1213). In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to create wishlists that may be published online or at social networks to spread to the user's friends. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to view, manage, and pay bills for the user, 1214. For example, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to import bills into the virtual wallet application interface by taking a snapshot of the bill, by entering information about the bill sufficient for the virtual wallet application to establish a communication with the merchant associated with the bill, etc.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to shop within the inventories of merchants participating in the virtual wallet. For example, the inventories of the merchants may be provided within the virtual wallet application for the user to make purchases. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may provide a virtual storefront for the user within the graphical user interface of the virtual wallet application. Thus, the user may be virtually injected into a store of the merchant participating in the EOOR's virtual wallet application.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may utilize the location coordinates of the user device (e.g., via GPS, IP address, cellular tower triangulation, etc.) to identify merchants that are in the vicinity of the user's current location. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may utilize such information to provide information to the user on the inventories of the merchants in the locality, and or may inject the merchant store virtually into the user's virtual wallet application.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may provide a shopping assistant 1204. For example, a user may walk into a physical store of a merchant. The user may require assistance in the shopping experience. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may allow the user to turn on the shop assistant (see 1217), and a store executive in the merchant store may be able to assist the user via another device. In some embodiments, a user may enter into a store (e.g., a physical brick-and-mortar store, virtual online store [via a computing device], etc.) to engage in a shopping experience. The user may have a user device. The user device 102 may have executing thereon a virtual wallet mobile app, including features such as those as described herein. Upon entering the store, the user device may communicate with a store management server. For example, the user device may communicate geographical location coordinates, user login information and/or like check-in information to check in automatically into the store. In some embodiments, the EOOR may inject the user into a virtual wallet store upon check in. For example, the virtual wallet app executing on the user device may provide features as described below to augment the user's in-store shopping experience. In some embodiments, the store management server may inform a customer service representative (“CSR”) of the user's arrival into the store. For example, the CSR may have a CSR device, and an app (“CSR app”) may be executing thereon. For example, the app may include features such as described below in the discussion herein. The CSR app may inform the CSR of the user's entry, including providing information about the user's profile, such as the user's identity, user's prior and recent purchases, the user's spending patterns at the current and/or other merchants, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the store management server may have access to the user's prior purchasing behavior, the user's real-time in-store behavior (e.g., which items' barcode did the user scan using the user device, how many times did the user scan the barcodes, did the user engage in comparison shopping by scanning barcodes of similar types of items, and/or the like), the user's spending patterns (e.g., resolved across time, merchants, stores, geographical locations, etc.), and/or like user profile information. The store management system may utilize this information to provide offers/coupons, recommendations and/or the like to the CSR and/or the user, via the CSR device and/or user device, respectively. In some embodiments, the CSR may assist the user in the shopping experience. For example, the CSR may convey offers, coupons, recommendations, price comparisons, and/or the like, and may perform actions on behalf of the user, such as adding/removing items to the user's physical/virtual cart, applying/removing coupons to the user's purchases, searching for offers, recommendations, providing store maps, or store 3D immersion views, and/or the like. In some embodiments, when the user is ready to checkout, the EOOR may provide a checkout notification to the user's device and/or CSR device. The user may checkout using the user's virtual wallet app executing on the user device, or may utilize a communication mechanism (e.g., near field communication, card swipe, QR code scan, etc.) to provide payment information to the CSR device. Using the payment information, the EOOR may initiate the purchase transaction(s) for the user, and provide an electronic receipt to the user device and/or CSR device. Using the electronic receipt, the user may exit the store with proof of purchase payment.
With reference to
Similarly, the discovery shopping mode 1321 may provide a view of aggregate consumer response to opinions of experts, divided based on opinions of experts aggregated form across the web (see 1302). For example, the centralized personal information platform components described below in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
The virtual wallet, in another embodiment, may offer facilities for obtaining and displaying ratings 1427 of the items in the transaction. The source of the ratings may be the user, the user's friends (e.g., from social channels, contacts, etc.), reviews aggregated from the web, and/or the like. The user interface in some implementations may also allow the user to post messages to other users of social channels (e.g., TWITTER or FACEBOOK). For example, the display area 1428 shows FACEBOOK message exchanges between two users. In one implementation, a user may share a link via a message 1429. Selection of such a message having embedded link to a product may allow the user to view a description of the product and/or purchase the product directly from the history mode.
In some implementations, the wallet application may display a shop trail for the user, e.g., 1430. For example, a user may have reviewed a product at a number of websites (e.g., ElecReports, APPL FanBoys, Gizmo, Bing, Amazon, Visa Smartbuy feature (e.g., that checks various sources automatically for the best price available according to the user preferences, and provides the offer to the user), etc.), which may have led the user to a final merchant website where the user finally bought the product. In some implementations, the EOOR may identify the websites that the user visited, that contributed to the user deciding to buy the product, and may reward them with a share of the revenues obtained by the “point-of-sale” website for having contributed to the user going to the point-of-sale website and purchasing the product there. For example, the websites may have agreements with product manufacturers, wholesalers, retail outlets, payment service providers, payment networks, amongst themselves, and/or the like with regard to product placement, advertising, user redirection and/or the like.
Accordingly, the EOOR may calculate a revenue share for each of the websites in the user's shopping trail using a revenue sharing model, and provide revenue sharing for the websites.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet may provide a SmartBuy targeted shopping feature. For example, the user may set a target price 1431 for the product 1422 that the user wishes to buy. The virtual wallet may provide a real-time market watch status update 1432 for the product. When the market price available for the user falls below the user's target price 1431, the virtual wallet may automatically buy the product for the user, and provide a shipment/notification to the user.
In one implementation, an example user interface 1711 for making a payment is shown. The user interface may clearly identify the amount 1712 and the currency 1713 for the transaction. The amount may be the amount payable and the currency may include real currencies such as dollars and euros, as well as virtual currencies such as reward points. The user may select the funds tab 1702 to select one or more forms of payment 1717, which may include various credit, debit, gift, rewards and/or prepaid cards. The user may also have the option of paying, wholly or in part, with reward points. For example, the graphical indicator 1718 on the user interface shows the number of points available, the graphical indicator 1719 shows the number of points to be used towards the amount due 234.56 and the equivalent 1720 of the number of points in a selected currency (USD, for example).
In one implementation, the user may combine funds from multiple sources to pay for the transaction. The amount 1715 displayed on the user interface may provide an indication of the amount of total funds covered so far by the selected forms of payment (e.g., Discover card and rewards points). The user may choose another form of payment or adjust the amount to be debited from one or more forms of payment until the amount 1715 matches the amount payable 1714. Once the amounts to be debited from one or more forms of payment are finalized by the user, payment authorization may begin.
In one implementation, the user may select a secure authorization of the transaction by selecting the cloak button 1722 to effectively cloak or anonymize some (e.g., pre-configured) or all identifying information such that when the user selects pay button 1721, the transaction authorization is conducted in a secure and anonymous manner. In another implementation, the user may select the pay button 1721 which may use standard authorization techniques for transaction processing. In yet another implementation, when the user selects the social button 1723, a message regarding the transaction may be communicated to one of more social networks (set up by the user), which may post or announce the purchase transaction in a social forum such as a wall post or a tweet. In one implementation, the user may select a social payment processing option 1723. The indicator 1724 may show the authorizing and sending social share data in progress.
In another implementation, a restricted payment mode 1725 may be activated for certain purchase activities such as prescription purchases. The mode may be activated in accordance with rules defined by issuers, insurers, merchants, payment processor and/or other entities to facilitate processing of specialized goods and services. In this mode, the user may scroll down the list of forms of payments 1726 under the funds tab to select specialized accounts such as a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HAS) 1727, and/or the like and amounts to be debited to the selected accounts. In one implementation, such restricted payment mode 1725 processing may disable social sharing of purchase information.
In one embodiment, the wallet mobile application may facilitate importing of funds via the import funds user interface 1728. For example, a user who is unemployed may obtain unemployment benefit fund 1729 via the wallet mobile application. In one implementation, the entity providing the funds may also configure rules for using the fund as shown by the processing indicator message 1730. The wallet may read and apply the rules prior, and may reject any purchases with the unemployment funds that fail to meet the criteria set by the rules. Example criteria may include, for example, merchant category code (MCC), time of transaction, location of transaction, and/or the like. As an example, a transaction with a grocery merchant having MCC 5411 may be approved, while a transaction with a bar merchant having an MCC 5813 may be refused.
In one implementation, the user may select the payee Jane P. Doe 1805 for receiving payment. Upon selection, the user interface may display additional identifying information 1806 relating to the payee. The user interface may allow the user to contact the payee (e.g., call, text, email), modify the entry of the payee in the address book (e.g., edit, delete, merge with another contact), or make a payment to the payee 1807. For example, the user can enter an amount 1808 to be paid to the payee. The user can include a note for the payee (or for the user self) related to the payment, 1809. The user can also include strings attached to the payment. For example, the user can provide that the payment processing should occur only if the payee re-posts the user's note on a social networking site, 1810. The user can, at any time, modify the funding sources to utilize in the payment, 1811. Also, the user can utilize a number of different payment modes for each user, 1812. For example, additional modes such as those described in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
In one embodiment, the social tab 1931 may facilitate integration of the wallet application with social channels 1932. In one implementation, a user may select one or more social channels 1932 and may sign in to the selected social channel from the wallet application by providing to the wallet application the social channel user name and password 1933 and signing in 1934. The user may then use the social button 1935 to send or receive money through the integrated social channels. In a further implementation, the user may send social share data such as purchase information or links through integrated social channels. In another embodiment, the user supplied login credentials may allow EOOR to engage in interception parsing.
In one embodiment, a user may select the history mode 2011 to view a history of filtered prior purchases and perform various actions on those prior purchases. For example, a user may enter a merchant identifying information such as name, product, MCC, and/or the like in the search bar 2012. In another implementation, the user may use voice activated search feature to search the history. In another implementations, the wallet application may display a pop up screen 2016, in which the user may enter advanced search filters, keywords, and/or the like. The wallet application may query the storage areas in the mobile device or elsewhere (e.g., one or more databases and/or tables remote from the mobile device) for transactions matching the search keywords. The user interface may then display the results of the query such as transactions 2003. The user interface may identify 2014: a type of the transaction (e.g., previously shopped for items, bills that have been captured by camera in a snap mode, a person-to-person transfer [e.g., via social payment mechanism as described below in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
In one implementation, the user may select a transaction, for example transaction 2106, to view the details of the transaction. For example, the user may view the details of the items associated with the transaction and the amount(s) of each item, the merchant, etc., 2112. In various implementations, the user may be able to perform additional operations in this view. For example, the user may (re)buy the item 2113, obtain third-party reviews of the item, and write reviews of the item 2114, add a photo to the item so as to organize information related to the item along with the item 2115, add the item to a group of related items (e.g., a household), provide ratings 2117, or view quick ratings from the user's friends or from the web at large. For example, such systems may be implemented using the example centralized personal information platform components described below in the discussion with reference to
The history mode, in another embodiment, may offer facilities for obtaining and displaying ratings 2117 of the items in the transaction. The source of the ratings may be the user, the user's friends (e.g., from social channels, contacts, etc.), reviews aggregated from the web, and/or the like. The user interface in some implementations may also allow the user to post messages to other users of social channels (e.g., TWITTER or FACEBOOK). For example, the display area 2118 shows FACEBOOK message exchanges between two users. In one implementation, a user may share a link via a message 2119. Selection of such a message having embedded link to a product may allow the user to view a description of the product and/or purchase the product directly from the history mode.
In some implementations, the wallet application may display a shop trail for the user, e.g., 2120. For example, a user may have reviewed a product at a number of websites (e.g., ElecReports, APPL FanBoys, Gizmo, Bing, Amazon, Visa Smartbuy feature (e.g., that checks various sources automatically for the best price available according to the user preferences, and provides the offer to the user), etc.), which may have led the user to a final merchant website where the user finally bought the product. In some implementations, the EOOR may identify the websites that the user visited, that contributed to the user deciding to buy the product, and may reward them with a share of the revenues obtained by the “point-of-sale” website for having contributed to the user going to the point-of-sale website and purchasing the product there. For example, the websites may have agreements with product manufacturers, wholesalers, retail outlets, payment service providers, payment networks, amongst themselves, and/or the like with regard to product placement, advertising, user redirection and/or the like. Accordingly, the EOOR may calculate a revenue share for each of the websites in the user's shopping trail using a revenue sharing model, and provide revenue sharing for the websites.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet may provide a SmartBuy targeted shopping feature. For example, the user may set a target price 2121 for the product 2112 that the user wishes to buy. The virtual wallet may provide a real-time market watch status update 2122 for the product. When the market price available for the user falls below the user's target price 2121, the virtual wallet may automatically buy the product for the user, and provide a shipment/notification to the user.
If the user engaged in browsing activity at a current URL (1105, option “Yes”), the device may identify the URL associated with the browsing activity (e.g., if the browsing can be performed on the device across multiple windows or tabs, etc.). The device may increment an activity counter to determine a level of user activity of the user at the URL where the browsing activity is occurring, 2106. The device may update the shop trail database with the activity count for the URL, 2107.
If the user desires to engage in a purchase transaction, e.g., after visiting a number of URLs about the product (e.g., after reading reviews about a product at a number of consumer report websites, the user navigates to amazon.com to buy the product), see 2103, option “Yes,” the device may set the current URL as the “point-of-sale” URL (e.g., the merchant at which the user finally bought the product—e.g., amazon.com), 2112. The device may stop the time for the current URL, and update the shop trail database for the current URL, 2113. The device may generate a card authorization request to initiate the purchase transaction, 2114, and provide the card authorization request for transaction processing (see, e.g., PTA 6700 component described below in the discussion with reference to
In some implementations, the device may also invoke a revenue sharing component, such as the example STRS 2120 component described below in the discussion with reference to
Accordingly, in some implementations, a server may obtain a list of URLs included in a suer's shopping trail, and their associated activity and time counts, 2121. The server may identify a point-of-sale URL where the user made the purchase for which revenue is being shared among the URLs in the shopping trail, 2122. The server may calculate a total activity count, and a total time count, by summing up activity and time counts, respectively, of all the URLs in the user's shopping trail, 2123. The server may calculate activity and time ratios of each of the URLs, 2124. The server may obtain a revenue sharing model (e.g., a database table/matrix of weighting values) for converting activity and time ratios for each URL into a revenue ratio for that URL, 2125. The server may calculate a revenue share, 2126, for each of the URLs in the user's shopping trail using the revenue sharing model and the revenue ratios calculated for each URL. The server may provide a notification of the revenue for each URL (e.g., to each of the URLs and/or the point-of-sale URL from whom revenue will be obtained to pay the revenue shares of the other URLs in the user's shopping trail), 2127. In some implementations, the server may generate card authorization requests and/or batch clearance requests for each of the revenue payments due to the URLs in the user's shopping trail, to process those transactions for revenue sharing.
With reference to
In one implementation, in particular when the user has previously interacted with the item that is snapped, the user may view the details of the items 2232 and the amount(s) of each item, the merchant, etc., 2232. In various implementations, the user may be able to perform additional operations in this view. For example, the user may (re)buy the item 2233, obtain third-party reviews of the item, and write reviews of the item 2234, add a photo to the item so as to organize information related to the item along with the item 2235, add the item to a group of related items (e.g., a household), provide ratings 2237, or view quick ratings from the user's friends or from the web at large. For example, such systems may be implemented using the example centralized personal information platform components described below in the discussion with reference to
The history mode, in another embodiment, may offer facilities for obtaining and displaying ratings 2237 of the items in the transaction. The source of the ratings may be the user, the user's friends (e.g., from social channels, contacts, etc.), reviews aggregated from the web, and/or the like. The user interface in some implementations may also allow the user to post messages to other users of social channels (e.g., TWITTER or FACEBOOK). For example, the display area 2238 shows FACEBOOK message exchanges between two users. In one implementation, a user may share a link via a message 2239. Selection of such a message having embedded link to a product may allow the user to view a description of the product and/or purchase the product directly from the history mode.
In some implementations, the wallet application may display a shop trail for the user, e.g., 2240. For example, a user may have reviewed a product at a number of websites (e.g., ElecReports, APPL FanBoys, Gizmo, Bing, Amazon, Visa Smartbuy feature (e.g., that checks various sources automatically for the best price available according to the user preferences, and provides the offer to the user), etc.), which may have led the user to a final merchant website where the user finally bought the product. In some implementations, the EOOR may identify the websites that the user visited, that contributed to the user deciding to buy the product, and may reward them with a share of the revenues obtained by the “point-of-sale” website for having contributed to the user going to the point-of-sale website and purchasing the product there. For example, the websites may have agreements with product manufacturers, wholesalers, retail outlets, payment service providers, payment networks, amongst themselves, and/or the like with regard to product placement, advertising, user redirection and/or the like. Accordingly, the EOOR may calculate a revenue share for each of the websites in the user's shopping trail using a revenue sharing model, and provide revenue sharing for the websites.
In some implementations, the virtual wallet may provide a SmartBuy targeted shopping feature. For example, the user may set a target price 2241 for the product 2232 that the user wishes to buy. The virtual wallet may provide a real-time market watch status update 2242 for the product. When the market price available for the user falls below the user's target price 2241, the virtual wallet may automatically buy the product for the user, and provide a shipment/notification to the user.
With reference to
As shown, the user may snap 2251, 2261 a picture of a barcode on an receipt 2253, 2263, upon which the virtual wallet application may present the receipt data 2252, 2262 using information from the pay code. The user may now reallocate expenses to their optimum accounts 2254, 2264. In some implementations, the user may also dispute the transaction 2255, 2265 or archive the receipt 2256, 2266.
In one implementation, when the reallocate button is selected, the wallet application may perform optical character recognition (OCR) of the receipt. Each of the items in the receipt may then be examined to identify one or more items which could be charged to which payment device or account for tax or other benefits such as cash back, reward points, etc. In this example, there is a tax benefit if the prescription medication charged to the user's Visa card is charged to the user's FSA. The wallet application may then perform the reallocation as the back end. The reallocation process may include the wallet contacting the payment processor to credit the amount of the prescription medication to the Visa card and debit the same amount to the user's FSA account. In an alternate implementation, the payment processor (e.g., Visa or MasterCard) may obtain and OCR the receipt, identify items and payment accounts for reallocation and perform the reallocation. In one implementation, the wallet application may request the user to confirm reallocation of charges for the selected items to another payment account. The receipt may be generated after the completion of the reallocation process. As discussed, the receipt shows that some charges have been moved from the Visa account to the FSA.
With reference to
In one embodiment, the snap mode may also offer facilities for adding a funding source to the wallet application. In one implementation, a pay card such as a credit card, debit card, pre-paid card, smart card and other pay accounts may have an associated code such as a bar code or QR code. Such a code may have encoded therein pay card information including, but not limited to, name, address, pay card type, pay card account details, balance amount, spending limit, rewards balance, and/or the like. In one implementation, the code may be found on a face of the physical pay card. In another implementation, the code may be obtained by accessing an associated online account or another secure location. In yet another implementation, the code may be printed on a letter accompanying the pay card. A user, in one implementation, may snap a picture of the code. The wallet application may identify the pay card and may display the textual information encoded in the pay card. The user may then perform verification of the information by selecting a verify button. In one implementation, the verification may include contacting the issuer of the pay card for confirmation of the decoded information and any other relevant information. In one implementation, the user may add the pay card to the wallet by selecting a ‘add to wallet’ button. The instruction to add the pay card to the wallet may cause the pay card to appear as one of the forms of payment under the funds tab discussed above.
With reference to
In response to obtaining the product data, the merchant server may generate, e.g., 2206, a QR pay code, and/or secure display element according to the security settings of the user. For example, the merchant server may generate a QR code embodying the product information, as well as merchant information required by a payment network to process the purchase transaction. For example, the merchant server may first generate in real-time, a custom, user-specific merchant-product XML data structure having a time-limited validity period, such as the example ‘QR_data’ XML data structure provided below:
In some implementations, the merchant may generate QR code using the XML data. For example, the merchant server may utilize the PHP QR Code open-source (LGPL) library for generating QR Code, 2-dimensional barcode, available at http://phpqrcode.sourceforge.net/. For example, the merchant server may issue PHP commands similar to the example commands provided below:
The merchant server may provide the QR pay code to the client, e.g., 2206. The client may obtain the QR pay code, and display the QR code, e.g., 2207 on a display screen associated with the client device. In some implementations, the user may utilize a user device, e.g., 2209, to capture the QR code presented by the client device for payment processing. The client device may decode the QR code to extract the information embedded in the QR code. For example, the client device may utilize an application such as the ZXing multi-format 1D/2D barcode image processing library, available at http://code.google.com/p/zxing/ to extract the information from the QR code. In some implementations, the user may provide payment input into the user device, e.g., 2208. Upon obtaining the user purchase input, the user device may generate a card authorization request, e.g., 2209, and provide the card authorization request to a pay network server (see, e.g.,
In some embodiments, the QR code may include data on a new account to be added to the virtual wallet application (see 2219). The virtual wallet application may query an issuer of the new account (as obtained from the extracted data), for the data associated with the new account, 2220. The virtual wallet application may compare the issuer-provided data to the data extracted from the QR code, 611. If the new account is validated (1221, option “Yes”), the virtual wallet application may update the wallet credentials with the details of the new account, 2223, and update the snap history of the virtual wallet application using the data from the QR code, 2224.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the QR code may include product information, commands, user navigation instructions, etc. for the virtual wallet application (see 2231). The virtual wallet application may query a product database using the information encoded in the QR. The virtual wallet application may provide various features including, without limitation, displaying product information, redirecting the user to: a product page, a merchant website, a product page on a merchant website, add item(s) to a user shopping cart at a merchant website, etc. In some implementations, the virtual wallet application may perform a procedure such as described above for any image frame pending to be processed, and/or selected for processing by the user (e.g., from the snap history).
In some implementations, the pay network server may parse the offer generation/exchange request, 2307, using parsers such as the example parser described below in the discussion with reference to
In a category of general settings (2411), a user may be able to modify settings such as, but not limited to: user information 2421, user device 2422, user accounts 2423, shopping sessions 2424, merchants that are preferred 2425, preferred products and brand names, preferred modes (e.g., settings regarding use of NFC, Bluetooth, and/or the like), etc.
In one implementation, the consumer may configure the purchase control settings to detect and block all susceptible transactions. For example, when an attempted transaction of an amount that exceeds the maximum specified transaction amount occurs, the electronic wallet may be configured to reject the transaction and send an alert to the consumer. The transaction may be resumed once the consumer approves the transaction. In another implementation, if the EOOR does not receive confirmation from the consumer to resume a susceptible transaction, the EOOR may send a notification to the merchant to cancel the transaction. In one implementation, the consumer may configure the time period of clearance (e.g., 12 hours, etc.). In another implementation, EOOR may determine a default maximum clearance period in compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., 24 hours after soft posting, etc.).
In one implementation, the EOOR may provide the consumer with a universal payment platform, wherein a user may associated one or more payment accounts with a universal payment platform and pay with the universal payment platform. Within embodiments, the consumer may create an electronic wallet service account and enroll with the electronic wallet (e.g., Visa V-Wallet, etc.) via EOOR. In alternative embodiments, a consumer may associate a consumer bank account with an existing electronic wallet. For example, a consumer may provide payment information, such as bank account number, bank routing number, user profile information, to an electronic wallet management consumer onboarding user interface, to associate an account with the electronic wallet. In another implementation, a consumer may enroll with the electronic wallet during online checkout. For example, a merchant site may provide an electronic wallet button at the checkout page (e.g., a Visa V-Wallet logo, etc.), and upon consumer selection of the electronic wallet button, the consumer may be prompted to enter bank account information (e.g., card number, etc.) to register a payment card (e.g., a credit card, a debit card, etc.) with the electronic wallet via a pop-up window.
In one implementation, upon receiving consumer enrollment bank account data, the EOOR may generate an enrollment request to the electronic wallet platform (e.g., Visa V-Wallet payment network, etc.). In one implementation, an exemplary consumer enrollment data request in eXtensible Markup Language (XML). In further implementations, the consumer may be issued a EOOR electronic wallet device upon enrollment, e.g., a mobile application, a magnetic card, etc.
In one implementation, a user may configure transaction restriction parameters via a consumer enrollment user interface. For example, in one implementation, an electronic wallet user may receive an invitation from EOOR to sign up with EOOR service, and following a link provided in the invitation (e.g., an email, etc.), the user may provide registration information in a registration form.
In one implementation, a user may configure payment methods and alerts with EOOR. For example, the user may add a payment account to the wallet, and register for timely alerts with transactions associated with the payment account. In one implementation, the user may establish customized rules for triggers of a transaction alert. For example, an alert message may be triggered when a susceptible transaction occurs as the transaction amount exceeds a maximum one time transaction amount (e.g., $500.00, etc.). For another example, an alert may be triggered when a transaction occurs within a susceptible time range (e.g., all transactions occurring between 2 am-6 am, etc.). For another example, an alert may be triggered when the frequency of transactions exceeds a maximum number of transactions per day (e.g., 20 per day, etc.). For further examples, an alert may be triggered when the transacting merchant is one of a consumer specified susceptible merchants (e.g., Internet spam sites, etc.). For another example, an alert may be triggered when the type of the transaction is a blocked transaction type (e.g., a user may forbid wallet transactions at a gas station for gas fill, etc.).
In one implementation, the user may subscribe to EOOR alerts by selecting alert channels. For example, the user may providing his mobile number, email address, mailing address and/or the like to EOOR, and subscribe to alerts via email, text messages, consumer service calls, mail, and/or the like. In one implementation, the user may configure rules and subscription channels for different payment account associated with the electronic wallet.
In one implementation, upon receiving user configured parameters via a user interface, EOOR (e.g., a Visa Wallet network) may provide a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) PUT message including the user leash parameters in the form of data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) PUT message including an XML-formatted user leash parameters for storage in a database:
In one implementation, upon configuring the leash parameters, when a consumer shops with a merchant (e.g., a shopping site, etc.), the payment processor network may forward the purchasing request to Visa network, which may apply the consumer's EOOR enrollment with the electronic wallet (e.g., Visa wallet network, etc.). For example, in one implementation, the EOOR may retrieve the user leash parameters, and inspect the transaction amount, transaction type, transaction frequency, and/or the like of the received transaction request based on the leash parameters.
In one implementation, if the proposed transaction triggers an alert, EOOR may generate an alert message, e.g., by providing a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) PUT message including the alert content in the form of data formatted according to the XML. Below is an example HTTP(S) PUT message including an XML-formatted alert:
In one implementation, the EOOR may also generate a message and send it to the issuing bank, e.g., the user's bank that issues the payment account, etc., to alert the issuing bank not to credit funds to the merchant unless a clearance message is received subsequently.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
A non-limiting, example listing of data that the EOOR may return based on a query is provided below. In this example, a user may log into a website via a computing device. The computing device may provide a IP address, and a timestamp to the EOOR. In response, the EOOR may identify a profile of the user from its database, and based on the profile, return potential merchants for offers or coupons:
LIVRARIASICILIAN
GDPCOLTD
GOODWILLINDUSTRIES
DISCOUNTDE
BARELANCHOE
BLOOMINGDALES
PARCWORLDTENNIS
STRIDERITEOUTLET
PARCCEANOR
PONTOFRIO
FNACPAULISTA
FINISHLINE
WALMARTCENTRAL
BESNIINTERLARGOS
PARCLOJASCOLOMBO
SHOPTIMEINTER
BEDBATHBEYOND
MACYSWEST
PARCRIACHUELOFILIAL
JCPENNEYCORPINC
PARCLOJASRENNERFL
PARCPAQUETAESPORTES
MARISALJ
PARCLEADERMAGAZINE
INTERFLORA
DECATHLON
PERNAMBUCANASFL
KARSTADTDE
PARCCEAMCO
CHAMPS
ACCESSORIZE
BLOOMINGDALESDVRS
PARCLIVRARIACULTURA
PARCCEALOJA
ARQUIBANCADA
KITBAG
FREDERICKSOFHLWD
WALMART
PARCLOJASINSINUANTE
WALMARTCONTAGEM
FOOTLOCKER
PARCSANTALOLLA
RICARDOELETRO
PARCPONTOFRIO
DOTPAYPLPOLSKA
CAMICADO
KARSTADT
PARCRAMSONS
PARCGREGORY
GREMIOFBPA
WALMARTSJC
PRODIRECTSOCCERLTD
LAVIEENROSE
PARCMARISALJ
ORDERS
PARCNSNNATALNORTE
LOJASINSINUANTE
B
CITYCOUNTY
WALMARTPACAEMBU
SOHO
WALMARTOSASCO
FOSSILSTORESIINC
MENARDSCLIO
PARCPEQUENTE
BEALLS
THEHOMEDEPOT
VIAMIA
PARCLOJASRIACHUELO
PARCLOJASMILANO
NORDSTROM
WAILANACOFFEEHOUSE
LANCHOEBELLA
PUKET
WALMARTSTORESINC
PARCPERNAMBUCANASFL
SMARTSHOPPER
PARCMAGAZINELUIZASP
COLUMBIASPORTSWEARCO
BARELANCESTADA
DONATEEBAY
PARCRICARDOELETRO
PARCDISANTINNI
SCHUHCOUK
CEANOR
PARCCAMICADO
PARCCENTAUROCE
PARCMARLUIJOIAS
ALBADAH
MARTINEZ
MONEYBOOKERSLTD
MACYS
PARCRIOCENTER
PARCCASASBAHIA
PARCSUBMARINOLOJA
INC
SUBMARINOLOJA
LOJASRENNERFL
RIACHUELOFILIAL
PARCSONHODOSPES
PINKBIJU
PARCCEAMRB
KITBAG
COLUMBIASPORTSWEARCO
GREMIOFBPA
In some embodiments, the EOOR may provide access to information on a need-to-know basis to ensure the security of data of entities on which the EOOR stores information. Thus, in some embodiments, access to information from the centralized platform may be restricted based on the originator as well as application services for which the data is requested. In some embodiments, the EOOR may thus allow a variety of flexible application services to be built on a common database infrastructure, while preserving the integrity, security, and accuracy of entity data. In some implementations, the EOOR may generate, update, maintain, store and/or provide profile information on entities, as well as a social graph that maintains and updates interrelationships between each of the entities stored within the EOOR. For example, the EOOR may store profile information on an issuer bank 2802a (see profile 2803a), a acquirer bank 2802b (see profile 2803b), a consumer 2802c (see profile 2803c), a user 2802d (see profile 2803d), a merchant 2802e (see profile 2803e), a second merchant 2802f (see profile 2803f). The EOOR may also store relationships between such entities. For example, the EOOR may store information on a relationship of the issuer bank 2802a to the consumer 2802c shopping at merchant 2802e, who in turn may be related to user 2802d, who might bank at the back 2802b that serves as acquirer for merchant 2802f.
In alternate examples, the EOOR may store data in a JavaScript Object Notation (“JSON”) format. The stored information may include data regarding the object, such as, but not limited to: commands, attributes, group information, payment information, account information, etc., such as in the example below:
In some embodiments, the EOOR may acquire the aggregated data, and normalize the data into formats that are suitable for uniform storage, indexing, maintenance, and/or further processing via data record normalization component(s) 3006 (e.g., such as described in
In some embodiments, the search engine servers may query, e.g., 3117a-c, their search databases, e.g., 3102a-c, for search results falling within the scope of the search keywords. In response to the search queries, the search databases may provide search results, e.g., 3118a-c, to the search engine servers. The search engine servers may return the search results obtained from the search databases, e.g., 3119a-c, to the pay network server making the search requests. An example listing of search results 3119a-c, substantially in the form of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the pay network server may store the aggregated search results, e.g., 3120, in an aggregated search database, e.g., 3110.
In some implementations, the client may generate a purchase order message, e.g., 3312, and provide, e.g., 3313, the generated purchase order message to the merchant server. For example, a browser application executing on the client may provide, on behalf of the user, a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) GET message including the product order details for the merchant server in the form of data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) GET message including an XML-formatted purchase order message for the merchant server:
In some implementations, the merchant server may obtain the purchase order message from the client, and may parse the purchase order message to extract details of the purchase order from the user. The merchant server may generate a card query request, e.g., 3314 to determine whether the transaction can be processed. For example, the merchant server may attempt to determine whether the user has sufficient funds to pay for the purchase in a card account provided with the purchase order. The merchant server may provide the generated card query request, e.g., 3315, to an acquirer server, e.g., 3304. For example, the acquirer server may be a server of an acquirer financial institution (“acquirer”) maintaining an account of the merchant. For example, the proceeds of transactions processed by the merchant may be deposited into an account maintained by the acquirer. In some implementations, the card query request may include details such as, but not limited to: the costs to the user involved in the transaction, card account details of the user, user billing and/or shipping information, and/or the like. For example, the merchant server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message including an XML-formatted card query request similar to the example listing provided below:
In some implementations, the acquirer server may generate a card authorization request, e.g., 3316, using the obtained card query request, and provide the card authorization request, e.g., 3317, to a pay network server, e.g., 3305. For example, the acquirer server may redirect the HTTP(S) POST message in the example above from the merchant server to the pay network server.
In some implementations, the pay network server may determine whether the user has enrolled in value-added user services. For example, the pay network server may query 3318 a database, e.g., pay network database 3307, for user service enrollment data. For example, the server may utilize PHP/SQL commands similar to the example provided above to query the pay network database. In some implementations, the database may provide the user service enrollment data, e.g., 3319. The user enrollment data may include a flag indicating whether the user is enrolled or not, as well as instructions, data, login URL, login API call template and/or the like for facilitating access of the user-enrolled services. For example, in some implementations, the pay network server may redirect the client to a value-add server (e.g., such as a social network server where the value-add service is related to social networking) by providing a HTTP(S) REDIRECT 300 message, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the pay network server may provide payment information extracted from the card authorization request to the value-add server as part of a value add service request, e.g., 3320. For example, the pay network server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message to the value-add server, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the value-add server may provide a service input request, e.g., 3321, to the client. For example, the value-add server may provide a HTML input/login form to the client. The client may display, e.g., 3322, the login form for the user. In some implementations, the user may provide login input into the client, e.g., 3323, and the client may generate a service input response, e.g., 3324, for the value-add server. In some implementations, the value-add server may provide value-add services according to user value-add service enrollment data, user profile, etc., stored on the value-add server, and based on the user service input. Based on the provision of value-add services, the value-add server may generate a value-add service response, e.g., 3326, and provide the response to the pay network server. For example, the value-add server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message similar to the example below:
In some implementations, upon receiving the value-add service response from the value-add server, the pay network server may extract the enrollment service data from the response for addition to a transaction data record. In some implementations, the pay network server may forward the card authorization request to an appropriate pay network server, e.g., 3328, which may parse the card authorization request to extract details of the request. Using the extracted fields and field values, the pay network server may generate a query, e.g., 3329, for an issuer server corresponding to the user's card account. For example, the user's card account, the details of which the user may have provided via the client-generated purchase order message, may be linked to an issuer financial institution (“issuer”), such as a banking institution, which issued the card account for the user. An issuer server, e.g., 3308a-n, of the issuer may maintain details of the user's card account. In some implementations, a database, e.g., pay network database 3307, may store details of the issuer servers and card account numbers associated with the issuer servers. For example, the database may be a relational database responsive to Structured Query Language (“SQL”) commands. The pay network server may execute a hypertext preprocessor (“PHP”) script including SQL commands to query the database for details of the issuer server. An example PHP/SQL command listing, illustrating substantive aspects of querying the database, is provided below:
In response to obtaining the issuer server query, e.g., 3329, the pay network database may provide, e.g., 3330, the requested issuer server data to the pay network server. In some implementations, the pay network server may utilize the issuer server data to generate a forwarding card authorization request, e.g., 3331, to redirect the card authorization request from the acquirer server to the issuer server. The pay network server may provide the card authorization request, e.g., 3332a-n, to the issuer server. In some implementations, the issuer server, e.g., 3308a-n, may parse the card authorization request, and based on the request details may query 3333a-n database, e.g., user profile database 3309a-n, for data of the user's card account. For example, the issuer server may issue PHP/SQL commands similar to the example provided below:
In some implementations, on obtaining the user data, e.g., 3334a-n, the issuer server may determine whether the user can pay for the transaction using funds available in the account, e.g., 3335a-n. For example, the issuer server may determine whether the user has a sufficient balance remaining in the account, sufficient credit associated with the account, and/or the like. If the issuer server determines that the user can pay for the transaction using the funds available in the account, the server may provide an authorization message, e.g., 3336a-n, to the pay network server. For example, the server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message similar to the examples above.
In some implementations, the pay network server may obtain the authorization message, and parse the message to extract authorization details. Upon determining that the user possesses sufficient funds for the transaction, the pay network server may generate a transaction data record from the card authorization request it received, and store, e.g., 3339, the details of the transaction and authorization relating to the transaction in a database, e.g., pay network database 3307. For example, the pay network server may issue PHP/SQL commands similar to the example listing below to store the transaction data in a database:
In some implementations, the pay network server may forward the authorization message, e.g., 3340, to the acquirer server, which may in turn forward the authorization message, e.g., 3340, to the merchant server. The merchant may obtain the authorization message, and determine from it that the user possesses sufficient funds in the card account to conduct the transaction. The merchant server may add a record of the transaction for the user to a batch of transaction data relating to authorized transactions. For example, the merchant may append the XML data pertaining to the user transaction to an XML data file comprising XML data for transactions that have been authorized for various users, e.g., 3341, and store the XML data file, e.g., 3342, in a database, e.g., merchant database 3304. For example, a batch XML data file may be structured similar to the example XML data structure template provided below:
In some implementations, the server may also generate a purchase receipt, e.g., 3343, and provide the purchase receipt to the client. The client may render and display, e.g., 3344, the purchase receipt for the user. For example, the client may render a webpage, electronic message, text/SMS message, buffer a voicemail, emit a ring tone, and/or play an audio message, etc., and provide output including, but not limited to: sounds, music, audio, video, images, tactile feedback, vibration alerts (e.g., on vibration-capable client devices such as a smartphone etc.), and/or the like.
With reference to
In some implementations, the issuer server may generate a payment command, e.g., 3358. For example, the issuer server may issue a command to deduct funds from the user's account (or add a charge to the user's credit card account). The issuer server may issue a payment command, e.g., 3359, to a database storing the user's account information, e.g., user profile database 3308. The issuer server may provide a funds transfer message, e.g., 3360, to the pay network server, which may forward, e.g., 3361, the funds transfer message to the acquirer server. An example HTTP(S) POST funds transfer message is provided below:
In some implementations, the acquirer server may parse the funds transfer message, and correlate the transaction (e.g., using the request_ID field in the example above) to the merchant. The acquirer server may then transfer the funds specified in the funds transfer message to an account of the merchant, e.g., 3362.
In some implementations, the pay network server may determine whether the user has enrolled in value-added user services. For example, the pay network server may query a database, e.g., 3407, for user service enrollment data. For example, the server may utilize PHP/SQL commands similar to the example provided above to query the pay network database. In some implementations, the database may provide the user service enrollment data, e.g., 3408. The user enrollment data may include a flag indicating whether the user is enrolled or not, as well as instructions, data, login URL, login API call template and/or the like for facilitating access of the user-enrolled services. For example, in some implementations, the pay network server may redirect the client to a value-add server (e.g., such as a social network server where the value-add service is related to social networking) by providing a HTTP(S) REDIRECT 300 message. In some implementations, the pay network server may provide payment information extracted from the card authorization request to the value-add server as part of a value add service request, e.g., 3410.
In some implementations, the value-add server may provide a service input request, e.g., 3411, to the client. The client may display, e.g., 3412, the input request for the user. In some implementations, the user may provide input into the client, e.g., 3413, and the client may generate a service input response for the value-add server. In some implementations, the value-add server may provide value-add services according to user value-add service enrollment data, user profile, etc., stored on the value-add server, and based on the user service input. Based on the provision of value-add services, the value-add server may generate a value-add service response, e.g., 3417, and provide the response to the pay network server. In some implementations, upon receiving the value-add service response from the value-add server, the pay network server may extract the enrollment service data from the response for addition to a transaction data record, e.g., 3419-3420.
With reference to
In some implementations, the pay network server may obtain the authorization message, and parse the message to extract authorization details. Upon determining that the user possesses sufficient funds for the transaction (e.g., 3430, option “Yes”), the pay network server may extract the transaction card from the authorization message and/or card authorization request, e.g., 3433, and generate a transaction data record using the card transaction details. The pay network server may provide the transaction data record for storage, e.g., 3434, to a database. In some implementations, the pay network server may forward the authorization message, e.g., 3435, to the acquirer server, which may in turn forward the authorization message, e.g., 3436, to the merchant server. The merchant may obtain the authorization message, and parse the authorization message o extract its contents, e.g., 3437. The merchant server may determine whether the user possesses sufficient funds in the card account to conduct the transaction. If the merchant server determines that the user possess sufficient funds, e.g., 3438, option “Yes,” the merchant server may add the record of the transaction for the user to a batch of transaction data relating to authorized transactions, e.g., 3439-2440. The merchant server may also generate a purchase receipt, e.g., 3441, for the user. If the merchant server determines that the user does not possess sufficient funds, e.g., 3438, option “No,” the merchant server may generate an “authorization fail” message, e.g., 3442. The merchant server may provide the purchase receipt or the “authorization fail” message to the client. The client may render and display, e.g., 3443, the purchase receipt for the user.
In some implementations, the merchant server may initiate clearance of a batch of authorized transactions by generating a batch data request, e.g., 3444, and providing the request to a database. In response to the batch data request, the database may provide the requested batch data, e.g., 3445, to the merchant server. The server may generate a batch clearance request, e.g., 3446, using the batch data obtained from the database, and provide the batch clearance request to an acquirer server. The acquirer server may generate, e.g., 3448, a batch payment request using the obtained batch clearance request, and provide the batch payment request to a pay network server. The pay network server may parse, e.g., 3449, the batch payment request, select a transaction stored within the batch data, e.g., 3450, and extract the transaction data for the transaction stored in the batch payment request, e.g., 3451. The pay network server may generate a transaction data record, e.g., 3452, and store the transaction data, e.g., 3453, the transaction in a database. For the extracted transaction, the pay network server may generate an issuer server query, e.g., 3454, for an address of an issuer server maintaining the account of the user requesting the transaction. The pay network server may provide the query to a database. In response, the database may provide the issuer server data requested by the pay network server, e.g., 3455. The pay network server may generate an individual payment request, e.g., 3456, for the transaction for which it has extracted transaction data, and provide the individual payment request to the issuer server using the issuer server data from the database.
In some implementations, the issuer server may obtain the individual payment request, and parse, e.g., 3457, the individual payment request to extract details of the request. Based on the extracted data, the issuer server may generate a payment command, e.g., 3458. For example, the issuer server may issue a command to deduct funds from the user's account (or add a charge to the user's credit card account). The issuer server may issue a payment command, e.g., 3459, to a database storing the user's account information. In response, the database may update a data record corresponding to the user's account to reflect the debit/charge made to the user's account. The issuer server may provide a funds transfer message, e.g., 3460, to the pay network server after the payment command has been executed by the database.
In some implementations, the pay network server may check whether there are additional transactions in the batch that need to be cleared and funded. If there are additional transactions, e.g., 3461, option “Yes,” the pay network server may process each transaction according to the procedure described above. The pay network server may generate, e.g., 3462, an aggregated funds transfer message reflecting transfer of all transactions in the batch, and provide, e.g., 3463, the funds transfer message to the acquirer server. The acquirer server may, in response, transfer the funds specified in the funds transfer message to an account of the merchant, e.g., 3464.
The pay network server, e.g., 3505a, may store the aggregated transaction data, e.g., 3520, in an aggregated transactions database, e.g., 3510a.
In some embodiments, the social network servers may query, e.g., 3717a-c, their databases, e.g., 3702a-c, for social data results falling within the scope of the social keywords. In response to the queries, the databases may provide social data, e.g., 3718a-c, to the search engine servers. The social network servers may return the social data obtained from the databases, e.g., 3719a-c, to the pay network server making the social data requests. An example listing of social data 3719a-c, substantially in the form of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the pay network server may store the aggregated search results, e.g., 3720, in an aggregated search database, e.g., 3710.
In some implementations, using the user's input, the client may generate an enrollment request, e.g., 3912, and provide the enrollment request, e.g., 3913, to the pay network server. For example, the client may provide a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) POST message including data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) POST message including an XML-formatted enrollment request for the pay network server:
In some implementations, the pay network server may obtain the enrollment request from the client, and extract the user's payment detail (e.g., XML data) from the enrollment request. For example, the pay network server may utilize a parser such as the example parsers described below in the discussion with reference to
In some implementations, the pay network server may redirect the client to a social network server by providing a HTTP(S) REDIRECT 300 message, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the pay network server may provide payment information extracted from the card authorization request to the social network server as part of a social network authentication enrollment request, e.g., 3917. For example, the pay network server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message to the social network server, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the social network server may provide a social network login request, e.g., 3918, to the client. For example, the social network server may provide a HTML input form to the client. The client may display, e.g., 3919, the login form for the user. In some implementations, the user may provide login input into the client, e.g., 3920, and the client may generate a social network login response, e.g., 3921, for the social network server. In some implementations, the social network server may authenticate the login credentials of the user, and access payment account information of the user stored within the social network, e.g., in a social network database. Upon authentication, the social network server may generate an authentication data record for the user, e.g., 3922, and provide an enrollment notification, e.g., 3924, to the pay network server. For example, the social network server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message similar to the example below:
Upon receiving notification of enrollment from the social network server, the pay network server may generate, e.g., 3925, a user enrollment data record, and store the enrollment data record in a pay network database, e.g., 3926, to complete enrollment. In some implementations, the enrollment data record may include the information from the enrollment notification 3924.
In some implementations, the server may query a database for a normalized data record template, e.g., 4101. The server may parse the normalized data record template, e.g., 4102. Based on parsing the normalized data record template, the server may determine the data fields included in the normalized data record template, and the format of the data stored in the fields of the data record template, e.g., 4103. The server may obtain transaction data records for normalization. The server may query a database, e.g., 4104, for non-normalized records. For example, the server may issue PHP/SQL commands to retrieve records that do not have the ‘norm_flag’ field from the example template above, or those where the value of the ‘norm_flag’ field is ‘false’. Upon obtaining the non-normalized transaction data records, the server may select one of the non-normalized transaction data records, e.g., 4105. The server may parse the non-normalized transaction data record, e.g., 4106, and determine the fields present in the non-normalized transaction data record, e.g., 4107. For example, the server may utilize a procedure similar to one described below with reference to
With reference to
In some embodiments, the server may obtain the structured data, and perform a standardization routine using the structured data as input (e.g., including script commands, for illustration). For example, the server may remove extra line breaks, spaces, tab spaces, etc. from the structured data, e.g. 4131. The server may determine and load a metadata library, e.g., 4132, using which the server may parse subroutines or functions within the script, based on the metadata, e.g., 4133-4134. In some embodiments, the server may pre-parse conditional statements based on the metadata, e.g., 4135-4136. The server may also parse data 4137 to populate a data/command object based on the metadata and prior parsing, e.g., 4138. Upon finalizing the data/command object, the server may export 4139 the data/command object as XML in standardized encryptmatics format.
The server may select an unclassified data record for processing, e.g., 4303. The server may also select a classification rule for processing the unclassified data record, e.g., 4304. The server may parse the classification rule, and determine the inputs required for the rule, e.g., 4305. Based on parsing the classification rule, the server may parse the normalized data record template, e.g., 4306, and extract the values for the fields required to be provided as inputs to the classification rule. The server may parse the classification rule, and extract the operations to be performed on the inputs provided for the rule processing, e.g., 4307. Upon determining the operations to be performed, the server may perform the rule-specified operations on the inputs provided for the classification rule, e.g., 4308. In some implementations, the rule may provide threshold values. For example, the rule may specify that if the number of products in the transaction, total value of the transaction, average luxury rating of the products sold in the transaction, etc. may need to cross a threshold in order for the label(s) associated with the rule to be applied to the transaction data record. The server may parse the classification rule to extract any threshold values required for the rule to apply, e.g., 4309. The server may compare the computed values with the rule thresholds, e.g., 4310. If the rule threshold(s) is crossed, e.g., 4311, option “Yes,” the server may apply one or more labels to the transaction data record as specified by the classification rule, e.g., 4312. For example, the server may apply a classification rule to an individual product within the transaction, and/or to the transaction as a whole. In some implementations, the server may process the transaction data record using each rule (see, e.g., 4313). Once all classification rules have been processed for the transaction record, e.g., 4313, option “No,” the server may store the transaction data record in a database, e.g., 4314. The server may perform such processing for each transaction data record until all transaction data records have been classified (see, e.g., 4315).
In some implementations, upon completing such an analysis for all the products in the card authorization request, the server may sort the queue according to their associated probability quotient and prediction confidence level, e.g., 4908. For example, if the prediction confidence level of a product is higher than a threshold, then it may be retained in the queue, but not if the prediction confidence level is lower than the threshold. Also, the retained products may be sorted in descending order of their associated probability quotients. In some implementations, the server may eliminate any duplicated products form the queue, e.g., 4909. The server may return the sorted queue of products for product offer recommendation, e.g., 4910.
In some embodiments, the EOOR may utilize one or more social networking services (e.g., Facebook®, Twitter™, MySpace™, etc.). In some embodiments, the EOOR may allow users across different social networks to transact with each other. For example, a user may make a request for payment on one social network. As an example, a Twitter™ user may tweet “@johnq@facebook.com, you owe me 500 vpts #ID7890”). The EOOR may provide an alert to the user with ID johnq@facebook.com either via the other social networking or via the user's virtual wallet. In response, the payee may social post to Facebook® a message “@jfdoe: here's your 500 vpts #ID7890”, and the EOOR may facilitate the payment transaction and provide a receipt/acknowledgment to the two users on their respective social networks or virtual wallets.
In some embodiments, the EOOR may facilitate transfers of funds to more than one payee by a payor via a single social post message. In some embodiments, the EOOR may facilitate use of more than one source of funds of a payee to fund payment of funds to one or more payors via a single post message. For example, the EOOR may utilize default settings or customized rules, stored within a virtual wallet of a payor, to determine which funding sources to utilize to fund a payment transaction to one or more payees via a social post message.
In some implementations, the EOOR may facilitate merchants to make offers of products and/or services to consumers via social networks 5020. For example, a merchant 5026 may sign up to participate in the EOOR. The EOOR may aggregate transactions of a user, and determine any products or services that may relevant for offering to the user. The EOOR may determine whether any participating merchants are available to provide the products or services for the users. If so, the EOOR may provide social post messages via a social network 5025 on behalf of the merchants (or, alternatively, inform the merchants who may then send social post messages to the users) providing the offers 5024a to the user 5021. An example of an offer to the followers of a merchant on may be “@amazon offers the new Kindle™ at only $149.99-click here to buy.” In such an example, the offer posted on the social networking site may have a link embedded (e.g., “here”) that users can click to make the purchase (which may be automatically performed with one-click if they are currently logged into their virtual wallet accounts 5023). Another example of a merchant offer may be “@amazon offers the new Kindle™ at only $149.99—reply with #offerID123456 to buy.” In such an example, the hash tag value serves as an identifier of the offer, which the users can reference when making their purchase via their social post messages (e.g., “buy from @amazon #offerID123456”). In some embodiments, merchants may provide two or more offers via a single social post message. In some embodiments, users may reference two or more offers in the same social post message.
In some implementations, users and/or merchants may utilize alternate messaging modes. For example, a user may be able to utilize electronic mail, SMS messages, phone calls, etc., to communicate with the EOOR and the social networks. For example, a merchant may provide a social post message offer such as ““@amazon offers the new Kindle™ at only $149.99—text #offerID123456 to buy”. When a user utilize a mobile phone to send a text message to redeem the offer, the EOOR may utilize a user profile of the user store on the social networking service to identify an identifying attribute of the user's mobile phone (e.g., a phone number), using which the EOOR may correlate the text message to a particular user. Thus, the EOOR may be able to process a transaction with the merchant on behalf of the user, using user information from the user's virtual wallet. In some embodiments where a social network is incapable of handling a particular mode of communication, the EOOR may serve as an intermediary translator to convert the message to a form that can be utilized by the social network.
In some implementations, using the user's input, the client may generate a social pay enrollment request, e.g., 5112, and provide the enrollment request to the social pay server 5103a. For example, the client may provide a (Secure) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP(S)”) POST message including data formatted according to the eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”). Below is an example HTTP(S) POST message including an XML-formatted enrollment request for the social pay server:
In some embodiments, the social pay server may obtain the enrollment request from the client, and extract the user's payment detail (e.g., XML data) from the enrollment request. For example, the social pay server may utilize a parser such as the example parsers described below in the discussion with reference to
In some implementations, the social pay server may redirect the client to a social network server, e.g., 5104a, by providing a HTTP(S) REDIRECT 300 message, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the social pay server may provide information extracted from the social pay enrollment request to the social network server as part of a user authentication/social pay app enroll request, e.g., 5115. For example, the social pay server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message to the social network server, similar to the example below:
In some implementations, the social network server may provide a social network login request, e.g., 5116, to the client. For example, the social network server may provide a HTML input form to the client. The client may display, e.g., 5117, the login form for the user. In some implementations, the user may provide login input into the client, e.g., 5118, and the client may generate a social network login response, e.g., 5119, for the social network server. In some implementations, the social network server may authenticate the login credentials of the user, and upon doing so, update the profile of the user to indicate the user's enrollment in the social pay system. For example, in a social networking service such as Facebook®, the social network server may provide permission to a social pay third-party developer app to access the user's information stored within the social network. In some embodiments, such enrollment may allow a virtual wallet application installed on a user device of to access the user's social profile information stored within the social network. Upon authentication, the social network server may generate an updated data record for the user, e.g., 5120, and provide an enrollment notification, e.g., 5121, to the social pay server. For example, the social network server may provide a HTTP(S) POST message similar to the example below:
Upon receiving notification of enrollment from the social network server, the social pay server may generate, e.g., 5122, a user enrollment data record, and store the enrollment data record in a social pay database, e.g., 5123, to complete enrollment. In some implementations, the enrollment data record may include the information from the enrollment notification 5121.
In some embodiments, the social network server 5304a may query its social network database for a social graph of the user, e.g., 5313. For example, the social network server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In some embodiments, the social network database may provide the requested social graph data in response, e.g., 5314. Using the social graph data, the social network server may generate message(s) as appropriate for the user and/or members of the user's social graph, e.g., 5315, and store the messages 5316 for the user and/or social graph members.
With reference to
In response, the social pay database may provide the requested information, e.g., 5323. In some embodiments, the social pay server may provide a user social data request 5324 to the social network server. An example listing of commands to issue a user social data request 5324, substantially in the form of PHP commands, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the social network server may query, e.g., 5326, it social network database 5304b for social data results falling within the scope of the request. In response to the query, the database may provide social data, e.g., 5327. The social network server may return the social data obtained from the databases, e.g., 5328, to the social pay server. An example listing of user social data 5328, substantially in the form of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the social pay server may query the social pay database for social pay rules, e.g., 5329. For example, the social pay server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In some embodiments, the social pay server may process the user social data using the social pay rules to identify pay commands, pay requests, merchant offers, and/or like content of the user social data. In some embodiments, rules may be provided by the EOOR to ensure the privacy and security of the user's social data and virtual wallet. As another example, the rules may include procedures to detect fraudulent transaction attempts, and request user verification before proceeding, or cancel the transaction request entirely. In some embodiments, the social pay server may utilize a wallet security and settings component, such as the example WSS 5500 component described further below in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
In some embodiments, the user may provide a verification input 5335 into the client, which may provide a pay command verification response to the social pay server. The social pay server may determine whether the payor verified payment, whether payee information available is sufficient to process the transaction, and/or the like. In scenarios where sufficient payee information is unavailable, the social pay server may optionally provide a social post message 5338 to a social networking service associated with the potential payee requesting the payee to enroll in social pay service (e.g., using the SPE 5200 component described above in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
In some embodiments, the social network server may extract a user ID from the user social data request, e.g., 5411. The social network server may query, e.g., 5412, it social network database to determine whether the user is enrolled in EOOR with the social network (e.g., “did the user allow the EOOR Facebook® app to access user data?”). In response, the social network database may provide user enrollment data relating to EOOR. The social network server may determine whether the user is enrolled, and thus whether the social pay server is authorized to access the user social data, 5414. If the social network server determines that the social pay server is not authorized, 5415, option “No,” it may generate a service denial message, 5416, and provide the message to the social pay server. If the social network server determines that the social pay server is authorized to access the user social data, 5415, option “Yes,” the social network server may generate a user social data query 5417, and provide it to the social network database. In response, the social network database may provide the user social data requested, 5418. The social network server may provide the user social data 5419 to the social pay server.
In some embodiments, the social pay server may query the social pay database for social pay rules, e.g., 5420-5421. In some embodiments, the social pay server may process the user social data using the social pay rules to identify pay commands, pay requests, merchant offers, and/or like content of the user social data, 5422. In some embodiments, rules may be provided by the EOOR to ensure the privacy and security of the user's social data and virtual wallet. As another example, the rules may include procedures to detect fraudulent transaction attempts, and request user verification before proceeding, or cancel the transaction request entirely. In some embodiments, the social pay server may utilize a wallet security and settings component, such as the example WSS 5500 component described further below in the discussion with reference to
With reference to
Accordingly, with reference to
In some embodiments, the EOOR may process each pay command identified from the user social data, 5520. For example, the EOOR may select a pay command string from the queue and its associated template/identification rule, 5521. Using the rule/template and pay command string, the EOOR may determine whether the string represents a request for payment, or an order to pay, 5523. If the pay command string represents a request for payment (e.g., “hey @jfdoe, you owe me 25 bucks #cashflowblues”), 5524, option “Yes,” the EOOR may determine whether the user for whom the WSS component is executing is the requested payor, or the payee, 5525. If the user has been requested to pay, 5526, option “Yes,” the EOOR may add a payment reminder to the user wallet account, 5527. Otherwise, the EOOR may generate a user pay request record including the pay command details, 5528, and store the pay request record in the user's wallet account for recordkeeping purposes or future analytics processing, 5529.
With reference to
In one embodiment, for example, a user may select the option current items 5915, as shown in the left most user interface of
With reference to
With reference to
In one implementation, a user may select Joe P. for payment. Joe P., as shown in the user interface, has an email icon 5917g next to his name indicating that Joe P. accepts payment via email. When his name is selected, the user interface may display his contact information such as email, phone, etc. If a user wishes to make a payment to Joe P. by a method other than email, the user may add another transfer mode 5917j to his contact information and make a payment transfer. With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
In one implementation, the user may combine funds from multiple sources to pay for the transaction. The amount 6015 displayed on the user interface may provide an indication of the amount of total funds covered so far by the selected forms of payment (e.g., Discover card and rewards points). The user may choose another form of payment or adjust the amount to be debited from one or more forms of payment until the amount 6015 matches the amount payable 6014. Once the amounts to be debited from one or more forms of payment are finalized by the user, payment authorization may begin.
In one implementation, the user may select a secure authorization of the transaction by selecting the cloak button 6022 to effectively cloak or anonymize some (e.g., pre-configured) or all identifying information such that when the user selects pay button 6021, the transaction authorization is conducted in a secure and anonymous manner. In another implementation, the user may select the pay button 6021 which may use standard authorization techniques for transaction processing. In yet another implementation, when the user selects the social button 6023, a message regarding the transaction may be communicated to one of more social networks (set up by the user) which may post or announce the purchase transaction in a social forum such as a wall post or a tweet. In one implementation, the user may select a social payment processing option 6023. The indicator 6024 may show the authorizing and sending social share data in progress.
In another implementation, a restricted payment mode 6025 may be activated for certain purchase activities such as prescription purchases. The mode may be activated in accordance with rules defined by issuers, insurers, merchants, payment processor and/or other entities to facilitate processing of specialized goods and services. In this mode, the user may scroll down the list of forms of payments 6026 under the funds tab to select specialized accounts such as a flexible spending account (FSA) 6027, health savings account (HAS), and/or the like and amounts to be debited to the selected accounts. In one implementation, such restricted payment mode 1925 processing may disable social sharing of purchase information.
In one embodiment, the wallet mobile application may facilitate importing of funds via the import funds user interface 6028. For example, a user who is unemployed may obtain unemployment benefit fund 6029 via the wallet mobile application. In one implementation, the entity providing the funds may also configure rules for using the fund as shown by the processing indicator message 6030. The wallet may read and apply the rules prior, and may reject any purchases with the unemployment funds that fail to meet the criteria set by the rules. Example criteria may include, for example, merchant category code (MCC), time of transaction, location of transaction, and/or the like. As an example, a transaction with a grocery merchant having MCC 5411 may be approved, while a transaction with a bar merchant having an MCC 5813 may be refused.
With reference to
Similarly, when a German user operates a wallet in Germany, the mobile wallet application user interface may be dynamically updated to reflect the country of operation 6032 and the currency 6034. In a further implementation, the wallet application may rearrange the order in which different forms of payment 6036 are listed based on their acceptance level in that country. Of course, the order of these forms of payments may be modified by the user to suit his or her own preferences.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
In one implementation, the user may select a transaction, for example transaction 6115, to view the details of the transaction. For example, the user may view the details of the items associated with the transaction and the amounts 6116 of each item. In a further implementation, the user may select the show option 6117 to view actions 6118 that the user may take in regards to the transaction or the items in the transaction. For example, the user may add a photo to the transaction (e.g., a picture of the user and the iPad the user bought). In a further implementation, if the user previously shared the purchase via social channels, a post including the photo may be generated and sent to the social channels for publishing. In one implementation, any sharing may be optional, and the user, who did not share the purchase via social channels, may still share the photo through one or more social channels of his or her choice directly from the history mode of the wallet application. In another implementation, the user may add the transaction to a group such as company expense, home expense, travel expense or other categories set up by the user. Such grouping may facilitate year-end accounting of expenses, submission of work expense reports, submission for value added tax (VAT) refunds, personal expenses, and/or the like. In yet another implementation, the user may buy one or more items purchased in the transaction. The user may then execute a transaction without going to the merchant catalog or site to find the items. In a further implementation, the user may also cart one or more items in the transaction for later purchase.
The history mode, in another embodiment, may offer facilities for obtaining and displaying ratings 6119 of the items in the transaction. The source of the ratings may be the user, the user's friends (e.g., from social channels, contacts, etc.), reviews aggregated from the web, and/or the like. The user interface in some implementations may also allow the user to post messages to other users of social channels (e.g., TWITTER or FACEBOOK). For example, the display area 6120 shows FACEBOOK message exchanges between two users. In one implementation, a user may share a link via a message 6121. Selection of such a message having embedded link to a product may allow the user to view a description of the product and/or purchase the product directly from the history mode.
In one embodiment, the history mode may also include facilities for exporting receipts. The export receipts pop up 6122 may provide a number of options for exporting the receipts of transactions in the history. For example, a user may use one or more of the options 6125, which include save (to local mobile memory, to server, to a cloud account, and/or the like), print to a printer, fax, email, and/or the like. The user may utilize his or her address book 6123 to look up email or fax number for exporting. The user may also specify format options 6124 for exporting receipts. Example format options may include, without limitation, text files (.doc, .txt, .rtf, iif, etc.), spreadsheet (.csv, .xls, etc.), image files (.jpg, .tff, .png, etc.), portable document format (.pdf), postscript (.ps), and/or the like. The user may then click or tap the export button 6127 to initiate export of receipts.
With reference to
As shown, the user may enter a search term (e.g., bills) in the search bar 2121. The user may then identify in the tab 6222 the receipt 6223 the user wants to reallocate. Alternatively, the user may directly snap a picture of a barcode on a receipt, and the snap mode may generate and display a receipt 6223 using information from the barcode. The user may now reallocate 6225. In some implementations, the user may also dispute the transaction 6224 or archive the receipt 6226.
In one implementation, when the reallocate button 6225 is selected, the wallet application may perform optical character recognition (OCR) of the receipt. Each of the items in the receipt may then be examined to identify one or more items which could be charged to which payment device or account for tax or other benefits such as cash back, reward points, etc. In this example, there is a tax benefit if the prescription medication charged to the user's Visa card is charged to the user's FSA. The wallet application may then perform the reallocation as the back end. The reallocation process may include the wallet contacting the payment processor to credit the amount of the prescription medication to the Visa card and debit the same amount to the user's FSA account. In an alternate implementation, the payment processor (e.g., Visa or MasterCard) may obtain and OCR the receipt, identify items and payment accounts for reallocation and perform the reallocation. In one implementation, the wallet application may request the user to confirm reallocation of charges for the selected items to another payment account. The receipt 6227 may be generated after the completion of the reallocation process. As discussed, the receipt shows that some charges have been moved from the Visa account to the FSA.
With reference to
In one implementation, the user may decide to pay with default 6234. The wallet application may then use the user's default method of payment, in this example the wallet, to complete the purchase transaction. Upon completion of the transaction, a receipt may be automatically generated for proof of purchase. The user interface may also be updated to provide other options for handling a completed transaction. Example options include social 6237 to share purchase information with others, reallocate 6238 as discussed with regard to
With reference to
In one implementation, after the offer or coupon 6246 is applied, the user may have the option to find qualifying merchants and/or products using find, the user may go to the wallet using 6248, and the user may also save the offer or coupon 6246 for later use.
With reference to
For example, a user may go to doctor's office and desire to pay the co-pay for doctor's appointment. In addition to basic transactional information such as account number and name, the app may provide the user the ability to select to transfer medical records, health information, which may be provided to the medical provider, insurance company, as well as the transaction processor to reconcile payments between the parties. In some implementations, the records may be sent in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant data format and encrypted, and only the recipients who are authorized to view such records may have appropriate decryption keys to decrypt and view the private user information.
With reference to
In some implementations, the EOOR may utilize a text challenge procedure to verify the authenticity of the user, e.g., 6425. For example, the EOOR may communicate with the user via text chat, SMS messages, electronic mail, Facebook® messages, Twitter™ tweets, and/or the like. The EOOR may pose a challenge question, e.g., 6426, for the user. The app may provide a user input interface element(s) (e.g., virtual keyboard 6428) to answer the challenge question posed by the EOOR. In some implementations, the challenge question may be randomly selected by the EOOR automatically; in some implementations, a customer service representative may manually communicate with the user. In some implementations, the user may not have initiated the transaction, e.g., the transaction is fraudulent. In such implementations, the user may cancel the text challenge. The EOOR may cancel the transaction, and/or initiate fraud investigation on behalf of the user.
In some embodiments, the merchant server may obtain the checkout request from the client, and extract the checkout detail (e.g., XML data) from the checkout request. For example, the merchant server may utilize a parser such as the example parsers described below in the discussion with reference to
In some embodiments, in response to obtaining the product data, the merchant server may generate, e.g., 6516, checkout data to provide for the PoS client. In some embodiments, such checkout data, e.g., 6517, may be embodied, in part, in a HyperText Markup Language (“HTML”) page including data for display, such as product detail, product pricing, total pricing, tax information, shipping information, offers, discounts, rewards, value-added service information, etc., and input fields to provide payment information to process the purchase transaction, such as account holder name, account number, billing address, shipping address, tip amount, etc. In some embodiments, the checkout data may be embodied, in part, in a Quick Response (“QR”) code image that the PoS client can display, so that the user may capture the QR code using a user's device to obtain merchant and/or product data for generating a purchase transaction processing request. In some embodiments, a user alert mechanism may be built into the checkout data. For example, the merchant server may embed a URL specific to the transaction into the checkout data. In some embodiments, the alerts URL may further be embedded into optional level 3 data in card authorization requests, such as those discussed further below with reference to
Upon obtaining the checkout data, e.g., 6517, the PoS client may render and display, e.g., 6518, the checkout data for the user.
In some embodiments, upon authenticating the user for access to virtual wallet features, the user wallet device may provide a transaction authorization input, e.g., 6714, to a point-of-sale (“PoS”) client, e.g., 6702. For example, the user wallet device may communicate with the PoS client via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular communication, one- or two-way near-field communication (“NFC”), and/or the like. In embodiments where the user utilizes a plastic card instead of the user wallet device, the user may swipe the plastic card at the PoS client to transfer information from the plastic card into the PoS client. For example, the PoS client may obtain, as transaction authorization input 6714, track 1 data from the user's plastic card (e.g., credit card, debit card, prepaid card, charge card, etc.), such as the example track 1 data provided below:
In embodiments where the user utilizes a user wallet device, the user wallet device may provide payment information to the PoS client, formatted according to a data formatting protocol appropriate to the communication mechanism employed in the communication between the user wallet device and the PoS client. An example listing of transaction authorization input 6714, substantially in the form of XML-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the PoS client may generate a card authorization request, e.g., 6715, using the obtained transaction authorization input from the user wallet device, and/or product/checkout data (see, e.g.,
In some embodiments, the card authorization request generated by the user device may include a minimum of information required to process the purchase transaction. For example, this may improve the efficiency of communicating the purchase transaction request, and may also advantageously improve the privacy protections provided to the user and/or merchant. For example, in some embodiments, the card authorization request may include at least a session ID for the user's shopping session with the merchant. The session ID may be utilized by any component and/or entity having the appropriate access authority to access a secure site on the merchant server to obtain alerts, reminders, and/or other data about the transaction(s) within that shopping session between the user and the merchant. In some embodiments, the PoS client may provide the generated card authorization request to the merchant server, e.g., 6716. The merchant server may forward the card authorization request to a pay gateway server, e.g., 6704a, for routing the card authorization request to the appropriate payment network for payment processing. For example, the pay gateway server may be able to select from payment networks, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Paypal, etc., to process various types of transactions including, but not limited to: credit card, debit card, prepaid card, B2B and/or like transactions. In some embodiments, the merchant server may query a database, e.g., merchant/acquirer database 6703b, for a network address of the payment gateway server, for example by using a portion of a user payment card number, or a user ID (such as an email address) as a keyword for the database query. For example, the merchant server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In response, the merchant/acquirer database may provide the requested payment gateway address, e.g., 6718. The merchant server may forward the card authorization request to the pay gateway server using the provided address, e.g., 6719. In some embodiments, upon receiving the card authorization request from the merchant server, the pay gateway server may invoke a component to provide one or more services associated with purchase transaction authorization. For example, the pay gateway server may invoke components for fraud prevention, loyalty and/or rewards, and/or other services for which the user-merchant combination is authorized. The pay gateway server may forward the card authorization request to a pay network server, e.g., 6705a, for payment processing. For example, the pay gateway server may be able to select from payment networks, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Paypal, etc., to process various types of transactions including, but not limited to: credit card, debit card, prepaid card, B2B and/or like transactions. In some embodiments, the pay gateway server may query a database, e.g., pay gateway database 6704b, for a network address of the payment network server, for example by using a portion of a user payment card number, or a user ID (such as an email address) as a keyword for the database query. For example, the pay gateway server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In response, the payment gateway database may provide the requested payment network address, e.g., 6722. The pay gateway server may forward the card authorization request to the pay network server using the provided address, e.g., 6723.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the pay network server may generate a query, e.g., 6724, for issuer server(s) corresponding to the user-selected payment options. For example, the user's account may be linked to one or more issuer financial institutions (“issuers”), such as banking institutions, which issued the account(s) for the user. For example, such accounts may include, but not be limited to: credit card, debit card, prepaid card, checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, stored (cash) value accounts and/or the like. Issuer server(s), e.g., 6706a, of the issuer(s) may maintain details of the user's account(s). In some embodiments, a database, e.g., pay network database 6705b, may store details of the issuer server(s) associated with the issuer(s). In some embodiments, the pay network server may query a database, e.g., pay network database 6705b, for a network address of the issuer(s) server(s), for example by using a portion of a user payment card number, or a user ID (such as an email address) as a keyword for the database query. For example, the merchant server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In response to obtaining the issuer server query, e.g., 6724, the pay network database may provide, e.g., 6725, the requested issuer server data to the pay network server. In some embodiments, the pay network server may utilize the issuer server data to generate funds authorization request(s), e.g., 6726, for each of the issuer server(s) selected based on the pre-defined payment settings associated with the user's virtual wallet, and/or the user's payment options input, and provide the funds authorization request(s) to the issuer server(s). In some embodiments, the funds authorization request(s) may include details such as, but not limited to: the costs to the user involved in the transaction, card account details of the user, user billing and/or shipping information, and/or the like. An example listing of a funds authorization request 6726, substantially in the form of a HTTP(S) POST message including XML-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, an issuer server may parse the authorization request(s), and based on the request details may query a database, e.g., user profile database 6706b, for data associated with an account linked to the user. For example, the merchant server may issue PHP/SQL commands to query a database table (such as
In some embodiments, on obtaining the user account(s) data, e.g., 6728, the issuer server may determine whether the user can pay for the transaction using funds available in the account, 6729. For example, the issuer server may determine whether the user has a sufficient balance remaining in the account, sufficient credit associated with the account, and/or the like. Based on the determination, the issuer server(s) may provide a funds authorization response, e.g., 6730, to the pay network server. For example, the issuer server(s) may provide a HTTP(S) POST message similar to the examples above. In some embodiments, if at least one issuer server determines that the user cannot pay for the transaction using the funds available in the account, the pay network server may request payment options again from the user (e.g., by providing an authorization fail message to the user device and requesting the user device to provide new payment options), and re-attempt authorization for the purchase transaction. In some embodiments, if the number of failed authorization attempts exceeds a threshold, the pay network server may abort the authorization process, and provide an “authorization fail” message to the merchant server, user device and/or client.
In some embodiments, the pay network server may obtain the funds authorization response including a notification of successful authorization, and parse the message to extract authorization details. Upon determining that the user possesses sufficient funds for the transaction, e.g., 6731, the pay network server may invoke a component to provide value-add services for the user.
In some embodiments, the pay network server may generate a transaction data record from the authorization request and/or authorization response, and store the details of the transaction and authorization relating to the transaction in a transactions database. For example, the pay network server may issue PHP/SQL commands to store the data to a database table (such as
In some embodiments, the pay network server may forward a transaction authorization response, e.g., 6732, to the user wallet device, PoS client, and/or merchant server. The merchant may obtain the transaction authorization response, and determine from it that the user possesses sufficient funds in the card account to conduct the transaction. The merchant server may add a record of the transaction for the user to a batch of transaction data relating to authorized transactions. For example, the merchant may append the XML data pertaining to the user transaction to an XML data file comprising XML data for transactions that have been authorized for various users, e.g., 6733, and store the XML data file, e.g., 6734, in a database, e.g., merchant database 404. For example, a batch XML data file may be structured similar to the example XML data structure template provided below:
In some embodiments, the server may also generate a purchase receipt, e.g., 6733, and provide the purchase receipt to the client, e.g., 6735. The client may render and display, e.g., 6736, the purchase receipt for the user. In some embodiments, the user's wallet device may also provide a notification of successful authorization to the user. For example, the PoS client/user device may render a webpage, electronic message, text/SMS message, buffer a voicemail, emit a ring tone, and/or play an audio message, etc., and provide output including, but not limited to: sounds, music, audio, video, images, tactile feedback, vibration alerts (e.g., on vibration-capable client devices such as a smartphone etc.), and/or the like.
In some embodiments, upon authenticating the user for access to virtual wallet features, the user wallet device may provide a transaction authorization input, e.g., 6804, to a point-of-sale (“PoS”) client. For example, the user wallet device may communicate with the PoS client via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular communication, one- or two-way near-field communication (“NFC”), and/or the like. In embodiments where the user utilizes a plastic card instead of the user wallet device, the user may swipe the plastic card at the PoS client to transfer information from the plastic card into the PoS client. In embodiments where the user utilizes a user wallet device, the user wallet device may provide payment information to the PoS client, formatted according to a data formatting protocol appropriate to the communication mechanism employed in the communication between the user wallet device and the PoS client.
In some embodiments, the PoS client may obtain the transaction authorization input, and parse the input to extract payment information from the transaction authorization input, e.g., 6805. For example, the PoS client may utilize a parser, such as the example parsers provided below in the discussion with reference to
In some embodiments, the PoS client may provide the generated card authorization request to the merchant server. The merchant server may forward the card authorization request to a pay gateway server, for routing the card authorization request to the appropriate payment network for payment processing. For example, the pay gateway server may be able to select from payment networks, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Paypal, etc., to process various types of transactions including, but not limited to: credit card, debit card, prepaid card, B2B and/or like transactions. In some embodiments, the merchant server may query a database, e.g., 6808, for a network address of the payment gateway server, for example by using a portion of a user payment card number, or a user ID (such as an email address) as a keyword for the database query. In response, the merchant/acquirer database may provide the requested payment gateway address, e.g., 6810. The merchant server may forward the card authorization request to the pay gateway server using the provided address. In some embodiments, upon receiving the card authorization request from the merchant server, the pay gateway server may invoke a component to provide one or more service associated with purchase transaction authorization, e.g., 6811. For example, the pay gateway server may invoke components for fraud prevention, loyalty and/or rewards, and/or other services for which the user-merchant combination is authorized.
The pay gateway server may forward the card authorization request to a pay network server for payment processing, e.g., 6814. For example, the pay gateway server may be able to select from payment networks, such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Paypal, etc., to process various types of transactions including, but not limited to: credit card, debit card, prepaid card, B2B and/or like transactions. In some embodiments, the pay gateway server may query a database, e.g., 6812, for a network address of the payment network server, for example by using a portion of a user payment card number, or a user ID (such as an email address) as a keyword for the database query. In response, the payment gateway database may provide the requested payment network address, e.g., 6813. The pay gateway server may forward the card authorization request to the pay network server using the provided address, e.g., 6814.
With reference to
In response to obtaining the issuer server query, the pay network database may provide, e.g., 6816, the requested issuer server data to the pay network server. In some embodiments, the pay network server may utilize the issuer server data to generate funds authorization request(s), e.g., 6817, for each of the issuer server(s) selected based on the pre-defined payment settings associated with the user's virtual wallet, and/or the user's payment options input, and provide the funds authorization request(s) to the issuer server(s). In some embodiments, the funds authorization request(s) may include details such as, but not limited to: the costs to the user involved in the transaction, card account details of the user, user billing and/or shipping information, and/or the like. In some embodiments, an issuer server may parse the authorization request(s), e.g., 6818, and based on the request details may query a database, e.g., 6819, for data associated with an account linked to the user.
In some embodiments, on obtaining the user account(s) data, e.g., 6820, the issuer server may determine whether the user can pay for the transaction using funds available in the account, e.g., 6821. For example, the issuer server may determine whether the user has a sufficient balance remaining in the account, sufficient credit associated with the account, and/or the like. Based on the determination, the issuer server(s) may provide a funds authorization response, e.g., 6822, to the pay network server. In some embodiments, if at least one issuer server determines that the user cannot pay for the transaction using the funds available in the account, the pay network server may request payment options again from the user (e.g., by providing an authorization fail message to the user device and requesting the user device to provide new payment options), and re-attempt authorization for the purchase transaction. In some embodiments, if the number of failed authorization attempts exceeds a threshold, the pay network server may abort the authorization process, and provide an “authorization fail” message to the merchant server, user device and/or client.
In some embodiments, the pay network server may obtain the funds authorization response including a notification of successful authorization, and parse the message to extract authorization details. Upon determining that the user possesses sufficient funds for the transaction, e.g., 6823, the pay network server may invoke a component to provide value-add services for the user, e.g., 6823.
In some embodiments, the pay network server may forward a transaction authorization response to the user wallet device, PoS client, and/or merchant server. The merchant may parse, e.g., 6824, the transaction authorization response, and determine from it that the user possesses sufficient funds in the card account to conduct the transaction, e.g., 6825, option “Yes.” The merchant server may add a record of the transaction for the user to a batch of transaction data relating to authorized transactions. For example, the merchant may append the XML data pertaining to the user transaction to an XML data file comprising XML data for transactions that have been authorized for various users, e.g., 6826, and store the XML data file, e.g., 6827, in a database. In some embodiments, the server may also generate a purchase receipt, e.g., 6828, and provide the purchase receipt to the client. The client may render and display, e.g., 6829, the purchase receipt for the user. In some embodiments, the user's wallet device may also provide a notification of successful authorization to the user. For example, the PoS client/user device may render a webpage, electronic message, text/SMS message, buffer a voicemail, emit a ring tone, and/or play an audio message, etc., and provide output including, but not limited to: sounds, music, audio, video, images, tactile feedback, vibration alerts (e.g., on vibration-capable client devices such as a smartphone etc.), and/or the like.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the issuer server may generate a payment command, e.g., 6927. For example, the issuer server may issue a command to deduct funds from the user's account (or add a charge to the user's credit card account). The issuer server may issue a payment command, e.g., 6927, to a database storing the user's account information, e.g., user profile database 6906b. The issuer server may provide an individual payment confirmation, e.g., 6928, to the pay network server, which may forward, e.g., 6929, the funds transfer message to the acquirer server. An example listing of an individual payment confirmation 6928, substantially in the form of a HTTP(S) POST message including XML-formatted data, is provided below:
In some embodiments, the acquirer server may parse the individual payment confirmation, and correlate the transaction (e.g., using the request_ID field in the example above) to the merchant. The acquirer server may then transfer the funds specified in the funds transfer message to an account of the merchant. For example, the acquirer server may query, e.g. 6930, an acquirer database 6907b for payment ledger and/or merchant account data, e.g., 6931. The acquirer server may utilize payment ledger and/or merchant account data from the acquirer database, along with the individual payment confirmation, to generate updated payment ledger and/or merchant account data, e.g., 6932. The acquirer server may then store, e.g., 6933, the updated payment ledger and/or merchant account data to the acquire database.
The pay network server may parse the batch payment request obtained from the acquirer server, and extract the transaction data for each transaction stored in the batch payment request, e.g., 7008. The pay network server may store the transaction data, e.g., 7009, for each transaction in a pay network database. In some embodiments, the pay network server may invoke a component, e.g., 7010, to provide analytics based on the transactions of the merchant for whom purchase transaction are being cleared.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the acquirer server may parse the individual payment confirmation, and correlate the transaction (e.g., using the request_ID field in the example above) to the merchant. The acquirer server may then transfer the funds specified in the funds transfer message to an account of the merchant. For example, the acquirer server may query, e.g. 7019, an acquirer database for payment ledger and/or merchant account data, e.g., 7020. The acquirer server may utilize payment ledger and/or merchant account data from the acquirer database, along with the individual payment confirmation, to generate updated payment ledger and/or merchant account data, e.g., 7021. The acquirer server may then store, e.g., 7022, the updated payment ledger and/or merchant account data to the acquire database.
Typically, users, e.g., 7133a, which may be people and/or other systems, may engage information technology systems (e.g., computers) to facilitate information processing. In turn, computers employ processors to process information; such processors 7103 may be referred to as central processing units (CPU). One form of processor is referred to as a microprocessor. CPUs use communicative circuits to pass binary encoded signals acting as instructions to enable various operations. These instructions may be operational and/or data instructions containing and/or referencing other instructions and data in various processor accessible and operable areas of memory 7129 (e.g., registers, cache memory, random access memory, etc.). Such communicative instructions may be stored and/or transmitted in batches (e.g., batches of instructions) as programs and/or data components to facilitate desired operations. These stored instruction codes, e.g., programs, may engage the CPU circuit components and other motherboard and/or system components to perform desired operations. One type of program is a computer operating system, which, may be executed by CPU on a computer; the operating system enables and facilitates users to access and operate computer information technology and resources. Some resources that may be employed in information technology systems include: input and output mechanisms through which data may pass into and out of a computer; memory storage into which data may be saved; and processors by which information may be processed. These information technology systems may be used to collect data for later retrieval, analysis, and manipulation, which may be facilitated through a database program. These information technology systems provide interfaces that allow users to access and operate various system components.
In one embodiment, the EOOR controller 7101 may be connected to and/or communicate with entities such as, but not limited to: one or more users from user input devices 7111; peripheral devices 7112; an optional cryptographic processor device 7128; and/or a communications network 7113. For example, the EOOR controller 7101 may be connected to and/or communicate with users, e.g., 7133a, operating client device(s), e.g., 7133b, including, but not limited to, personal computer(s), server(s) and/or various mobile device(s) including, but not limited to, cellular telephone(s), smartphone(s) (e.g., iPhone®, Blackberry®, Android OS-based phones etc.), tablet computer(s) (e.g., Apple iPad™, HP Slate™, Motorola Xoom™, etc.), eBook reader(s) (e.g., Amazon Kindle™, Barnes and Noble's Nook™ eReader, etc.), laptop computer(s), notebook(s), netbook(s), gaming console(s) (e.g., XBOX Live™, Nintendo® DS, Sony PlayStation® Portable, etc.), portable scanner(s), and/or the like.
Networks are commonly thought to comprise the interconnection and interoperation of clients, servers, and intermediary nodes in a graph topology. It should be noted that the term “server” as used throughout this application refers generally to a computer, other device, program, or combination thereof that processes and responds to the requests of remote users across a communications network. Servers serve their information to requesting “clients.” The term “client” as used herein refers generally to a computer, program, other device, user and/or combination thereof that is capable of processing and making requests and obtaining and processing any responses from servers across a communications network. A computer, other device, program, or combination thereof that facilitates, processes information and requests, and/or furthers the passage of information from a source user to a destination user is commonly referred to as a “node.” Networks are generally thought to facilitate the transfer of information from source points to destinations. A node specifically tasked with furthering the passage of information from a source to a destination is commonly called a “router.” There are many forms of networks such as Local Area Networks (LANs), Pico networks, Wide Area Networks (WANs), Wireless Networks (WLANs), etc. For example, the Internet is generally accepted as being an interconnection of a multitude of networks whereby remote clients and servers may access and interoperate with one another.
The EOOR controller 7101 may be based on computer systems that may comprise, but are not limited to, components such as: a computer systemization 7102 connected to memory 7129.
A computer systemization 7102 may comprise a clock 7130, central processing unit (“CPU(s)” and/or “processor(s)” (these terms are used interchangeable throughout the disclosure unless noted to the contrary)) 7103, a memory 7129 (e.g., a read only memory (ROM) 7106, a random access memory (RAM) 7105, etc.), and/or an interface bus 7107, and most frequently, although not necessarily, are all interconnected and/or communicating through a system bus 7104 on one or more (mother)board(s) 7102 having conductive and/or otherwise transportive circuit pathways through which instructions (e.g., binary encoded signals) may travel to effectuate communications, operations, storage, etc. The computer systemization may be connected to a power source 7186; e.g., optionally the power source may be internal. Optionally, a cryptographic processor 7126 and/or transceivers (e.g., ICs) 7174 may be connected to the system bus. In another embodiment, the cryptographic processor and/or transceivers may be connected as either internal and/or external peripheral devices 7112 via the interface bus I/O. In turn, the transceivers may be connected to antenna(s) 7175, thereby effectuating wireless transmission and reception of various communication and/or sensor protocols; for example the antenna(s) may connect to: a Texas Instruments WiLink WL1283 transceiver chip (e.g., providing 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM, global positioning system (GPS) (thereby allowing EOOR controller to determine its location)); Broadcom BCM4329FKUBG transceiver chip (e.g., providing 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, FM, etc.); a Broadcom BCM4750IUB8 receiver chip (e.g., GPS); an Infineon Technologies X-Gold 618-PMB9800 (e.g., providing 2G/3G HSDPA/HSUPA communications); and/or the like. The system clock typically has a crystal oscillator and generates a base signal through the computer systemization's circuit pathways. The clock is typically coupled to the system bus and various clock multipliers that will increase or decrease the base operating frequency for other components interconnected in the computer systemization. The clock and various components in a computer systemization drive signals embodying information throughout the system. Such transmission and reception of instructions embodying information throughout a computer systemization may be commonly referred to as communications. These communicative instructions may further be transmitted, received, and the cause of return and/or reply communications beyond the instant computer systemization to: communications networks, input devices, other computer systemizations, peripheral devices, and/or the like. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, any of the above components may be connected directly to one another, connected to the CPU, and/or organized in numerous variations employed as exemplified by various computer systems.
The CPU comprises at least one high-speed data processor adequate to execute program components for executing user and/or system-generated requests.
Often, the processors themselves will incorporate various specialized processing units, such as, but not limited to: integrated system (bus) controllers, memory management control units, floating point units, and even specialized processing sub-units like graphics processing units, digital signal processing units, and/or the like. Additionally, processors may include internal fast access addressable memory, and be capable of mapping and addressing memory 7129 beyond the processor itself; internal memory may include, but is not limited to: fast registers, various levels of cache memory (e.g., level 1, 2, 3, etc.), RAM, etc. The processor may access this memory through the use of a memory address space that is accessible via instruction address, which the processor can construct and decode allowing it to access a circuit path to a specific memory address space having a memory state. The CPU may be a microprocessor such as: AMD's Athlon, Duron and/or Opteron; ARM's application, embedded and secure processors; IBM and/or Motorola's DragonBall and PowerPC; IBM's and Sony's Cell processor; Intel's Celeron, Core (2) Duo, Itanium, Pentium, Xeon, and/or XScale; and/or the like processor(s). The CPU interacts with memory through instruction passing through conductive and/or transportive conduits (e.g., (printed) electronic and/or optic circuits) to execute stored instructions (i.e., program code) according to conventional data processing techniques. Such instruction passing facilitates communication within the EOOR controller and beyond through various interfaces. Should processing requirements dictate a greater amount speed and/or capacity, distributed processors (e.g., Distributed EOOR), mainframe, multi-core, parallel, and/or super-computer architectures may similarly be employed. Alternatively, should deployment requirements dictate greater portability, smaller Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) may be employed.
Depending on the particular implementation, features of the EOOR may be achieved by implementing a microcontroller such as CAST's R8051XC2 microcontroller; Intel's MCS 51 (i.e., 8051 microcontroller); and/or the like. Also, to implement certain features of the EOOR, some feature implementations may rely on embedded components, such as: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”), Digital Signal Processing (“DSP”), Field Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”), and/or the like embedded technology. For example, any of the EOOR component collection (distributed or otherwise) and/or features may be implemented via the microprocessor and/or via embedded components; e.g., via ASIC, coprocessor, DSP, FPGA, and/or the like. Alternately, some implementations of the EOOR may be implemented with embedded components that are configured and used to achieve a variety of features or signal processing.
Depending on the particular implementation, the embedded components may include software solutions, hardware solutions, and/or some combination of both hardware/software solutions. For example, EOOR features discussed herein may be achieved through implementing FPGAs, which are a semiconductor devices containing programmable logic components called “logic blocks”, and programmable interconnects, such as the high performance FPGA Virtex series and/or the low cost Spartan series manufactured by Xilinx. Logic blocks and interconnects can be programmed by the customer or designer, after the FPGA is manufactured, to implement any of the EOOR features. A hierarchy of programmable interconnects allow logic blocks to be interconnected as needed by the EOOR system designer/administrator, somewhat like a one-chip programmable breadboard. An FPGA's logic blocks can be programmed to perform the operation of basic logic gates such as AND, and XOR, or more complex combinational operators such as decoders or simple mathematical operations. In most FPGAs, the logic blocks also include memory elements, which may be circuit flip-flops or more complete blocks of memory. In some circumstances, the EOOR may be developed on regular FPGAs and then migrated into a fixed version that more resembles ASIC implementations. Alternate or coordinating implementations may migrate EOOR controller features to a final ASIC instead of or in addition to FPGAs. Depending on the implementation all of the aforementioned embedded components and microprocessors may be considered the “CPU” and/or “processor” for the EOOR.
The power source 7186 may be of any standard form for powering small electronic circuit board devices such as the following power cells: alkaline, lithium hydride, lithium ion, lithium polymer, nickel cadmium, solar cells, and/or the like. Other types of AC or DC power sources may be used as well. In the case of solar cells, in one embodiment, the case provides an aperture through which the solar cell may capture photonic energy. The power cell 7186 is connected to at least one of the interconnected subsequent components of the EOOR thereby providing an electric current to all subsequent components. In one example, the power source 7186 is connected to the system bus component 7104. In an alternative embodiment, an outside power source 7186 is provided through a connection across the I/O 7108 interface. For example, a USB and/or IEEE 1394 connection carries both data and power across the connection and is therefore a suitable source of power.
Interface bus(ses) 7107 may accept, connect, and/or communicate to a number of interface adapters, conventionally although not necessarily in the form of adapter cards, such as but not limited to: input output interfaces (I/O) 7108, storage interfaces 7109, network interfaces 7110, and/or the like. Optionally, cryptographic processor interfaces 7127 similarly may be connected to the interface bus. The interface bus provides for the communications of interface adapters with one another as well as with other components of the computer systemization. Interface adapters are adapted for a compatible interface bus. Interface adapters conventionally connect to the interface bus via a slot architecture. Conventional slot architectures may be employed, such as, but not limited to: Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and/or the like.
Storage interfaces 7109 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to a number of storage devices such as, but not limited to: storage devices 7114, removable disc devices, and/or the like. Storage interfaces may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: (Ultra) (Serial) Advanced Technology Attachment (Packet Interface) ((Ultra) (Serial) ATA(PI)), (Enhanced) Integrated Drive Electronics ((E)IDE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394, fiber channel, Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or the like.
Network interfaces 7110 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to a communications network 7113. Through a communications network 7113, the EOOR controller is accessible through remote clients 7133b (e.g., computers with web browsers) by users 7133a. Network interfaces may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: direct connect, Ethernet (thick, thin, twisted pair 10/100/1000 Base T, and/or the like), Token Ring, wireless connection such as IEEE 802.11a-x, and/or the like. Should processing requirements dictate a greater amount speed and/or capacity, distributed network controllers (e.g., Distributed EOOR), architectures may similarly be employed to pool, load balance, and/or otherwise increase the communicative bandwidth required by the EOOR controller. A communications network may be any one and/or the combination of the following: a direct interconnection; the Internet; a Local Area Network (LAN); a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN); an Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI); a secured custom connection; a Wide Area Network (WAN); a wireless network (e.g., employing protocols such as, but not limited to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), I-mode, and/or the like); and/or the like. A network interface may be regarded as a specialized form of an input output interface. Further, multiple network interfaces 7110 may be used to engage with various communications network types 7113. For example, multiple network interfaces may be employed to allow for the communication over broadcast, multicast, and/or unicast networks.
Input Output interfaces (I/O) 7108 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to user input devices 7111, peripheral devices 7112, cryptographic processor devices 7128, and/or the like. I/O may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: audio: analog, digital, monaural, RCA, stereo, and/or the like; data: Apple Desktop Bus (ADB), IEEE 1394a-b, serial, universal serial bus (USB); infrared; joystick; keyboard; midi; optical; PC AT; PS/2; parallel; radio; video interface: Apple Desktop Connector (ADC), BNC, coaxial, component, composite, digital, Digital Visual Interface (DVI), high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), RCA, RF antennae, S-Video, VGA, and/or the like; wireless transceivers: 802.11a/b/g/n/x; Bluetooth; cellular (e.g., code division multiple access (CDMA), high speed packet access (HSPA(+)), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long term evolution (LTE), WiMax, etc.); and/or the like. One typical output device may include a video display, which typically comprises a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) based monitor with an interface (e.g., DVI circuitry and cable) that accepts signals from a video interface, may be used. The video interface composites information generated by a computer systemization and generates video signals based on the composited information in a video memory frame. Another output device is a television set, which accepts signals from a video interface. Typically, the video interface provides the composited video information through a video connection interface that accepts a video display interface (e.g., an RCA composite video connector accepting an RCA composite video cable; a DVI connector accepting a DVI display cable, etc.).
User input devices 7111 often are a type of peripheral device 7112 (see below) and may include: card readers, dongles, finger print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards, microphones, mouse (mice), remote controls, retina readers, touch screens (e.g., capacitive, resistive, etc.), trackballs, trackpads, sensors (e.g., accelerometers, ambient light, GPS, gyroscopes, proximity, etc.), styluses, and/or the like.
Peripheral devices 7112 may be connected and/or communicate to I/O and/or other facilities of the like such as network interfaces, storage interfaces, directly to the interface bus, system bus, the CPU, and/or the like. Peripheral devices may be external, internal and/or part of the EOOR controller. Peripheral devices may include: antenna, audio devices (e.g., line-in, line-out, microphone input, speakers, etc.), cameras (e.g., still, video, webcam, etc.), dongles (e.g., for copy protection, ensuring secure transactions with a digital signature, and/or the like), external processors (for added capabilities; e.g., crypto devices 7128), force-feedback devices (e.g., vibrating motors), network interfaces, printers, scanners, storage devices, transceivers (e.g., cellular, GPS, etc.), video devices (e.g., goggles, monitors, etc.), video sources, visors, and/or the like. Peripheral devices often include types of input devices (e.g., cameras).
It should be noted that although user input devices and peripheral devices may be employed, the EOOR controller may be embodied as an embedded, dedicated, and/or monitor-less (i.e., headless) device, wherein access would be provided over a network interface connection.
Cryptographic units such as, but not limited to, microcontrollers, processors 7126, interfaces 7127, and/or devices 7128 may be attached, and/or communicate with the EOOR controller. A MC68HC16 microcontroller, manufactured by Motorola Inc., may be used for and/or within cryptographic units. The MC68HC16 microcontroller utilizes a 16-bit multiply-and-accumulate instruction in the 16 MHz configuration and requires less than one second to perform a 512-bit RSA private key operation. Cryptographic units support the authentication of communications from interacting agents, as well as allowing for anonymous transactions. Cryptographic units may also be configured as part of the CPU. Equivalent microcontrollers and/or processors may also be used. Other commercially available specialized cryptographic processors include: the Broadcom's CryptoNetX and other Security Processors; nCipher's nShield, SafeNet's Luna PCI (e.g., 7100) series; Semaphore Communications' 40 MHz Roadrunner 184; Sun's Cryptographic Accelerators (e.g., Accelerator 6000 PCIe Board, Accelerator 500 Daughtercard); Via Nano Processor (e.g., L2100, L2200, U2400) line, which is capable of performing 500+MB/s of cryptographic instructions; VLSI Technology's 33 MHz 6868; and/or the like.
Generally, any mechanization and/or embodiment allowing a processor to affect the storage and/or retrieval of information is regarded as memory 7129. However, memory is a fungible technology and resource, thus, any number of memory embodiments may be employed in lieu of or in concert with one another. It is to be understood that the EOOR controller and/or a computer systemization may employ various forms of memory 7129. For example, a computer systemization may be configured wherein the operation of on-chip CPU memory (e.g., registers), RAM, ROM, and any other storage devices are provided by a paper punch tape or paper punch card mechanism; however, such an embodiment would result in an extremely slow rate of operation. In a typical configuration, memory 7129 will include ROM 7106, RAM 7105, and a storage device 7114. A storage device 7114 may be any conventional computer system storage. Storage devices may include a drum; a (fixed and/or removable) magnetic disk drive; a magneto-optical drive; an optical drive (i.e., Blueray, CD ROM/RAM/Recordable (R)/ReWritable (RW), DVD R/RW, HD DVD R/RW etc.); an array of devices (e.g., Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)); solid state memory devices (USB memory, solid state drives (SSD), etc.); other processor-readable storage mediums; and/or other devices of the like. Thus, a computer systemization generally requires and makes use of memory.
The memory 7129 may contain a collection of program and/or database components and/or data such as, but not limited to: operating system component(s) 7115 (operating system); information server component(s) 7116 (information server); user interface component(s) 7117 (user interface); Web browser component(s) 7118 (Web browser); database(s) 7119; mail server component(s) 7121; mail client component(s) 7122; cryptographic server component(s) 7120 (cryptographic server); the EOOR component(s) 7135; and/or the like (i.e., collectively a component collection). These components may be stored and accessed from the storage devices and/or from storage devices accessible through an interface bus. Although non-conventional program components such as those in the component collection, typically, are stored in a local storage device 7114, they may also be loaded and/or stored in memory such as: peripheral devices, RAM, remote storage facilities through a communications network, ROM, various forms of memory, and/or the like.
The operating system component 7115 is an executable program component facilitating the operation of the EOOR controller. Typically, the operating system facilitates access of I/O, network interfaces, peripheral devices, storage devices, and/or the like. The operating system may be a highly fault tolerant, scalable, and secure system such as: Apple Macintosh OS X (Server); AT&T Plan 9; Be OS; Unix and Unix-like system distributions (such as AT&T's UNIX; Berkley Software Distribution (BSD) variations such as FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and/or the like; Linux distributions such as Red Hat, Ubuntu, and/or the like); and/or the like operating systems. However, more limited and/or less secure operating systems also may be employed such as Apple Macintosh OS, IBM OS/2, Microsoft DOS, Microsoft Windows 2000/2003/3.1/95/98/CE/Millenium/NT/Vista/XP (Server), Palm OS, and/or the like. An operating system may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or the like. Most frequently, the operating system communicates with other program components, user interfaces, and/or the like. For example, the operating system may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses. The operating system, once executed by the CPU, may enable the interaction with communications networks, data, I/O, peripheral devices, program components, memory, user input devices, and/or the like. The operating system may provide communications protocols that allow the EOOR controller to communicate with other entities through a communications network 7113. Various communication protocols may be used by the EOOR controller as a subcarrier transport mechanism for interaction, such as, but not limited to: multicast, TCP/IP, UDP, unicast, and/or the like.
An information server component 7116 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The information server may be a conventional Internet information server such as, but not limited to Apache Software Foundation's Apache, Microsoft's Internet Information Server, and/or the like. The information server may allow for the execution of program components through facilities such as Active Server Page (ASP), ActiveX, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts, dynamic (D) hypertext markup language (HTML), FLASH, Java, JavaScript, Practical Extraction Report Language (PERL), Hypertext Pre-Processor (PHP), pipes, Python, wireless application protocol (WAP), WebObjects, and/or the like. The information server may support secure communications protocols such as, but not limited to, File Transfer Protocol (FTP); HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP); Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), messaging protocols (e.g., America Online (AOL) Instant Messenger (AIM), Application Exchange (APEX), ICQ, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Microsoft Network (MSN) Messenger Service, Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol (PRIM), Internet Engineering Task Force's (IETF's) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), open XML-based Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) (i.e., Jabber or Open Mobile Alliance's (OMA's) Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), Yahoo! Instant Messenger Service, and/or the like. The information server provides results in the form of Web pages to Web browsers, and allows for the manipulated generation of the Web pages through interaction with other program components. After a Domain Name System (DNS) resolution portion of an HTTP request is resolved to a particular information server, the information server resolves requests for information at specified locations on the EOOR controller based on the remainder of the HTTP request. For example, a request such as http://123.124.125.126/myInformation.html might have the IP portion of the request “123.124.125.126” resolved by a DNS server to an information server at that IP address; that information server might in turn further parse the http request for the “/myInformation.html” portion of the request and resolve it to a location in memory containing the information “myInformation.html.” Additionally, other information serving protocols may be employed across various ports, e.g., FTP communications across port 21, and/or the like. An information server may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the information server communicates with the EOOR database 7119, operating systems, other program components, user interfaces, Web browsers, and/or the like.
Access to the EOOR database may be achieved through a number of database bridge mechanisms such as through scripting languages as enumerated below (e.g., CGI) and through inter-application communication channels as enumerated below (e.g., CORBA, WebObjects, etc.). Any data requests through a Web browser are parsed through the bridge mechanism into appropriate grammars as required by the EOOR. In one embodiment, the information server would provide a Web form accessible by a Web browser. Entries made into supplied fields in the Web form are tagged as having been entered into the particular fields, and parsed as such. The entered terms are then passed along with the field tags, which act to instruct the parser to generate queries directed to appropriate tables and/or fields. In one embodiment, the parser may generate queries in standard SQL by instantiating a search string with the proper join/select commands based on the tagged text entries, wherein the resulting command is provided over the bridge mechanism to the EOOR as a query. Upon generating query results from the query, the results are passed over the bridge mechanism, and may be parsed for formatting and generation of a new results Web page by the bridge mechanism. Such a new results Web page is then provided to the information server, which may supply it to the requesting Web browser.
Also, an information server may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.
Computer interfaces in some respects are similar to automobile operation interfaces. Automobile operation interface elements such as steering wheels, gearshifts, and speedometers facilitate the access, operation, and display of automobile resources, and status. Computer interaction interface elements such as check boxes, cursors, menus, scrollers, and windows (collectively and commonly referred to as widgets) similarly facilitate the access, capabilities, operation, and display of data and computer hardware and operating system resources, and status. Operation interfaces are commonly called user interfaces. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) such as the Apple Macintosh Operating System's Aqua, IBM's OS/2, Microsoft's Windows 2000/2003/3.1/95/98/CE/Millenium/NT/XP/Vista/7 (i.e., Aero), Unix's X-Windows (e.g., which may include additional Unix graphic interface libraries and layers such as K Desktop Environment (KDE), mythTV and GNU Network Object Model Environment (GNOME)), web interface libraries (e.g., ActiveX, AJAX, (D)HTML, FLASH, Java, JavaScript, etc. interface libraries such as, but not limited to, Dojo, jQuery(UI), MooTools, Prototype, script.aculo.us, SWFObject, Yahoo! User Interface, any of which may be used and) provide a baseline and means of accessing and displaying information graphically to users.
A user interface component 7117 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The user interface may be a conventional graphic user interface as provided by, with, and/or atop operating systems and/or operating environments such as already discussed. The user interface may allow for the display, execution, interaction, manipulation, and/or operation of program components and/or system facilities through textual and/or graphical facilities. The user interface provides a facility through which users may affect, interact, and/or operate a computer system. A user interface may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the user interface communicates with operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The user interface may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.
A Web browser component 7118 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The Web browser may be a conventional hypertext viewing application such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Secure Web browsing may be supplied with 128 bit (or greater) encryption by way of HTTPS, SSL, and/or the like. Web browsers allowing for the execution of program components through facilities such as ActiveX, AJAX, (D)HTML, FLASH, Java, JavaScript, web browser plug-in APIs (e.g., FireFox, Safari Plug-in, and/or the like APIs), and/or the like. Web browsers and like information access tools may be integrated into PDAs, cellular telephones, and/or other mobile devices. A Web browser may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the Web browser communicates with information servers, operating systems, integrated program components (e.g., plug-ins), and/or the like; e.g., it may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses. Also, in place of a Web browser and information server, a combined application may be developed to perform similar operations of both. The combined application would similarly affect the obtaining and the provision of information to users, user agents, and/or the like from the EOOR enabled nodes. The combined application may be nugatory on systems employing standard Web browsers.
A mail server component 7121 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 7103. The mail server may be a conventional Internet mail server such as, but not limited to sendmail, Microsoft Exchange, and/or the like. The mail server may allow for the execution of program components through facilities such as ASP, ActiveX, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, CGI scripts, Java, JavaScript, PERL, PHP, pipes, Python, WebObjects, and/or the like. The mail server may support communications protocols such as, but not limited to: Internet message access protocol (IMAP), Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI)/Microsoft Exchange, post office protocol (POP3), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), and/or the like. The mail server can route, forward, and process incoming and outgoing mail messages that have been sent, relayed and/or otherwise traversing through and/or to the EOOR.
Access to the EOOR mail may be achieved through a number of APIs offered by the individual Web server components and/or the operating system.
Also, a mail server may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, information, and/or responses.
Mail Client
A mail client component 7122 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 7103. The mail client may be a conventional mail viewing application such as Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla, Thunderbird, and/or the like. Mail clients may support a number of transfer protocols, such as: IMAP, Microsoft Exchange, POP3, SMTP, and/or the like. A mail client may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the mail client communicates with mail servers, operating systems, other mail clients, and/or the like; e.g., it may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, information, and/or responses. Generally, the mail client provides a facility to compose and transmit electronic mail messages.
A cryptographic server component 7120 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 7103, cryptographic processor 7126, cryptographic processor interface 7127, cryptographic processor device 7128, and/or the like. Cryptographic processor interfaces will allow for expedition of encryption and/or decryption requests by the cryptographic component; however, the cryptographic component, alternatively, may run on a conventional CPU. The cryptographic component allows for the encryption and/or decryption of provided data. The cryptographic component allows for both symmetric and asymmetric (e.g., Pretty Good Protection (PGP)) encryption and/or decryption. The cryptographic component may employ cryptographic techniques such as, but not limited to: digital certificates (e.g., X.509 authentication framework), digital signatures, dual signatures, enveloping, password access protection, public key management, and/or the like. The cryptographic component will facilitate numerous (encryption and/or decryption) security protocols such as, but not limited to: checksum, Data Encryption Standard (DES), Elliptical Curve Encryption (ECC), International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA), Message Digest 5 (MD5, which is a one way hash operation), passwords, Rivest Cipher (RC5), Rijndael, RSA (which is an Internet encryption and authentication system that uses an algorithm developed in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman), Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), and/or the like. Employing such encryption security protocols, the EOOR may encrypt all incoming and/or outgoing communications and may serve as node within a virtual private network (VPN) with a wider communications network. The cryptographic component facilitates the process of “security authorization” whereby access to a resource is inhibited by a security protocol wherein the cryptographic component effects authorized access to the secured resource. In addition, the cryptographic component may provide unique identifiers of content, e.g., employing and MD5 hash to obtain a unique signature for an digital audio file. A cryptographic component may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. The cryptographic component supports encryption schemes allowing for the secure transmission of information across a communications network to enable the EOOR component to engage in secure transactions if so desired. The cryptographic component facilitates the secure accessing of resources on the EOOR and facilitates the access of secured resources on remote systems; i.e., it may act as a client and/or server of secured resources. Most frequently, the cryptographic component communicates with information servers, operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The cryptographic component may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.
The EOOR database component 7119 may be embodied in a database and its stored data. The database is a stored program component, which is executed by the CPU; the stored program component portion configuring the CPU to process the stored data. The database may be a conventional, fault tolerant, relational, scalable, secure database such as Oracle or Sybase. Relational databases are an extension of a flat file. Relational databases consist of a series of related tables. The tables are interconnected via a key field. Use of the key field allows the combination of the tables by indexing against the key field; i.e., the key fields act as dimensional pivot points for combining information from various tables. Relationships generally identify links maintained between tables by matching primary keys. Primary keys represent fields that uniquely identify the rows of a table in a relational database. More precisely, they uniquely identify rows of a table on the “one” side of a one-to-many relationship.
Alternatively, the EOOR database may be implemented using various standard data-structures, such as an array, hash, (linked) list, struct, structured text file (e.g., XML), table, and/or the like. Such data-structures may be stored in memory and/or in (structured) files. In another alternative, an object-oriented database may be used, such as Frontier, ObjectStore, Poet, Zope, and/or the like. Object databases can include a number of object collections that are grouped and/or linked together by common attributes; they may be related to other object collections by some common attributes. Object-oriented databases perform similarly to relational databases with the exception that objects are not just pieces of data but may have other types of capabilities encapsulated within a given object. If the EOOR database is implemented as a data-structure, the use of the EOOR database 7119 may be integrated into another component such as the EOOR component 7135. Also, the database may be implemented as a mix of data structures, objects, and relational structures. Databases may be consolidated and/or distributed in countless variations through standard data processing techniques. Portions of databases, e.g., tables, may be exported and/or imported and thus decentralized and/or integrated.
In one embodiment, the database component 7119 includes several tables 7119a-r. A Users table 7119a may include fields such as, but not limited to: user_id, ssn, dob, first_name, last_name, age, state, address_firstline, address_secondline, zipcode, devices_list, contact_info, contact type, alt_contact_info, alt_contact type, and/or the like. The Users table may support and/or track multiple entity accounts on a EOOR. A Devices table 7119b may include fields such as, but not limited to: device_ID, device_name, device_IP, device_MAC, device_type, device_model, device_version, device_OS, device_apps_list, device_securekey, wallet_app_installed_flag, and/or the like. An Apps table 7119c may include fields such as, but not limited to: app_ID, app_name, app_type, app_dependencies, and/or the like. An Accounts table 7119d may include fields such as, but not limited to: account_number, account_security_code, account_name, issuer_acquirer_flag, issuer_name, acquirer_name, account_address, routing number, access_API_call, linked_wallets_list, and/or the like. A Merchants table 7119e may include fields such as, but not limited to: merchant_id, merchant_name, merchant_address, ip_address, mac_address, auth_key, port_num, security_settings_list, and/or the like. An Issuers table 7119f may include fields such as, but not limited to: issuer_id, issuer_name, issuer_address, ip_address, mac_address, auth_key, port_num, security_settings_list, and/or the like. An Acquirers table 7119g may include fields such as, but not limited to: account_firstname, account_lastname, account_type, account_num, account_balance_list, billingaddress_line1, billingaddress_line2, billing_zipcode, billing_state, shipping_preferences, shippingaddress_line1, shippingaddress_line2, shipping_zipcode, shipping_state, and/or the like. A Pay Gateways table 7119h may include fields such as, but not limited to: gateway_ID, gateway_IP, gateway_MAC, gateway_secure_key, gateway_access_list, gateway_API_call_list, gateway_services_list, and/or the like. A Transactions table 7119i may include fields such as, but not limited to: order_id, user_id, timestamp, transaction_cost, purchase_details_list, num_products, products_list, product_type, product_params_list, product_title, product_summary, quantity, user_id, client_id, client_ip, client_type, client_model, operating_system, os_version, app_installed_flag, user_id, account_firstname, account_lastname, account_type, account_num, account priority account_ratio, billingaddress_line1, billingaddress_line2, billing_zipcode, billing_state, shipping_preferences, shippingaddress_line1, shippingaddress_line2, shipping_zipcode, shipping_state, merchant_id, merchant_name, merchant_auth_key, and/or the like. A Batches table 7119j may include fields such as, but not limited to: batch_id, transaction_id_list, timestamp_list, cleared_flag_list, clearance_trigger_settings, and/or the like. A Ledgers table 7119k may include fields such as, but not limited to: request_id, timestamp, deposit_amount, batch_id, transaction_id, clear_flag, deposit_account, transaction_summary, payor_name, payor_account, and/or the like. A Products table 7119l may include fields such as, but not limited to: product_ID, product_title, product_attributes_list, product_price, tax_info_list, related_products_list, offers_list, discounts_list, rewards_list, merchants_list, merchant_availability_list, and/or the like. An Offers table 7119m may include fields such as, but not limited to: offer_ID, offer_title, offer_attributes_list, offer_price, offer_expiry, related_products_list, discounts_list, rewards_list, merchants_list, merchant_availability_list, and/or the like. A Behavior Data table 7119n may include fields such as, but not limited to: user_id, timestamp, activity_type, activity_location, activity attribute_list, activity_attribute_values_list, and/or the like. An Analytics table 71190 may include fields such as, but not limited to: report_id, user_id, report_type, report_algorithm_id, report_destination_address, and/or the like. A Market Data table 7119p may include fields such as, but not limited to: market_data_feed_ID, asset_ID, asset_symbol, asset_name, spot_price, bid_price, ask_price, and/or the like; in one embodiment, the market data table is populated through a market data feed (e.g., Bloomberg's PhatPipe, Dun & Bradstreet, Reuter's Tib, Triarch, etc.), for example, through Microsoft's Active Template Library and Dealing Object Technology's real-time toolkit Rtt.Multi. An Account/Offer Metadata table 7119q may include fileds such as, user_id, account_number, rewards_id, rewards_rules, purchase_details, order_id, coupon_ID, benefits_id, befenits_params, and/or the like. An illustrating example of the Account/offer Metadata table is provided in
In one embodiment, the EOOR database may interact with other database systems. For example, employing a distributed database system, queries and data access by search EOOR component may treat the combination of the EOOR database, an integrated data security layer database as a single database entity.
In one embodiment, user programs may contain various user interface primitives, which may serve to update the EOOR. Also, various accounts may require custom database tables depending upon the environments and the types of clients the EOOR may need to serve. It should be noted that any unique fields may be designated as a key field throughout. In an alternative embodiment, these tables have been decentralized into their own databases and their respective database controllers (i.e., individual database controllers for each of the above tables). Employing standard data processing techniques, one may further distribute the databases over several computer systemizations and/or storage devices. Similarly, configurations of the decentralized database controllers may be varied by consolidating and/or distributing the various database components 7119a-r. The EOOR may be configured to keep track of various settings, inputs, and parameters via database controllers.
The EOOR database may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the EOOR database communicates with the EOOR component, other program components, and/or the like. The database may contain, retain, and provide information regarding other nodes and data.
The EOOR component 7135 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. In one embodiment, the EOOR component incorporates any and/or all combinations of the aspects of the EOOR discussed in the previous figures. As such, the EOOR affects accessing, obtaining and the provision of information, services, transactions, and/or the like across various communications networks.
In one embodiment, the EOOR component may transform payment card information, user card selection preference, and purchase inputs via EOOR components into card addition completion, and purchase transactions using optimized payment card and coupon outputs outputs, and/or the like and use of the EOOR. In one embodiment, the EOOR component 7135 takes payment card information, user card selection preference, and purchase inputs and transforms the inputs via various components (e.g., Card Selector 7170; Offer Selector 7171; and/or the like), into card addition completion, and purchase transactions using optimized payment card and coupon outputs. The EOOR component may transform touchscreen inputs into a virtual wallet mobile application interface via EOOR components into purchase transaction triggers and receipt notices, and/or the like and use of the EOOR. In one embodiment, the EOOR component 7135 takes inputs (e.g., checkout request 6511; product data 6515; wallet access input 6711; transaction authorization input 6714; payment gateway address 6718; payment network address 6722; issuer server address(es) 6725; funds authorization request(s) 6726; user(s) account(s) data 6728; batch data 6912; payment network address 6916; issuer server address(es) 6924; individual payment request 6925; payment ledger, merchant account data 6931; and/or the like) etc., and transforms the inputs via various components (e.g., UPC 7141; PTA 7142; PTC 7143; STG 7144; EPGU 7145; EAA 7146; CEC 7147; ETC 7148; DFR 7149; ADRN 7150; VASE 7151; SDA 7152; TDA 7153; CTDA 7154; SRA 7155; UBA 7156; UBOR 7157; SPE 7158; SPT 7159; WSS 7160; SMCB 7161; VWSC 7162; ORE 7163; QRCP 7164; SMPE 7165; PCS 7166; UST 7167; STRS 7168; USTG 7169; and/or the like), into outputs (e.g., checkout request message 6513; checkout data 6517; card authorization request 6716, 6723; funds authorization response(s) 6730; transaction authorization response 6732; batch append data 6734; purchase receipt 6735; batch clearance request 6914; batch payment request 6918; transaction data 6920; individual payment confirmation 6928, 6929; updated payment ledger, merchant account data 6933; and/or the like).
The EOOR component enabling access of information between nodes may be developed by employing standard development tools and languages such as, but not limited to: Apache components, Assembly, ActiveX, binary executables, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, database adapters, CGI scripts, Java, JavaScript, mapping tools, procedural and object oriented development tools, PERL, PHP, Python, shell scripts, SQL commands, web application server extensions, web development environments and libraries (e.g., Microsoft's ActiveX; Adobe AIR, FLEX & FLASH; AJAX; (D)HTML; Dojo, Java; JavaScript; jQuery(UI); MooTools; Prototype; script.aculo.us; Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP); SWFObject; Yahoo! User Interface; and/or the like), WebObjects, and/or the like. In one embodiment, the EOOR server employs a cryptographic server to encrypt and decrypt communications. The EOOR component may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the EOOR component communicates with the EOOR database, operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The EOOR may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.
The structure and/or operation of any of the EOOR node controller components may be combined, consolidated, and/or distributed in any number of ways to facilitate development and/or deployment. Similarly, the component collection may be combined in any number of ways to facilitate deployment and/or development. To accomplish this, one may integrate the components into a common code base or in a facility that can dynamically load the components on demand in an integrated fashion.
The component collection may be consolidated and/or distributed in countless variations through standard data processing and/or development techniques. Multiple instances of any one of the program components in the program component collection may be instantiated on a single node, and/or across numerous nodes to improve performance through load-balancing and/or data-processing techniques. Furthermore, single instances may also be distributed across multiple controllers and/or storage devices; e.g., databases. All program component instances and controllers working in concert may do so through standard data processing communication techniques.
The configuration of the EOOR controller will depend on the context of system deployment. Factors such as, but not limited to, the budget, capacity, location, and/or use of the underlying hardware resources may affect deployment requirements and configuration. Regardless of if the configuration results in more consolidated and/or integrated program components, results in a more distributed series of program components, and/or results in some combination between a consolidated and distributed configuration, data may be communicated, obtained, and/or provided. Instances of components consolidated into a common code base from the program component collection may communicate, obtain, and/or provide data. This may be accomplished through intra-application data processing communication techniques such as, but not limited to: data referencing (e.g., pointers), internal messaging, object instance variable communication, shared memory space, variable passing, and/or the like.
If component collection components are discrete, separate, and/or external to one another, then communicating, obtaining, and/or providing data with and/or to other components may be accomplished through inter-application data processing communication techniques such as, but not limited to: Application Program Interfaces (API) information passage; (distributed) Component Object Model ((D)COM), (Distributed) Object Linking and Embedding ((D)OLE), and/or the like), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), Jini local and remote application program interfaces, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Remote Method Invocation (RMI), SOAP, process pipes, shared files, and/or the like. Messages sent between discrete component components for inter-application communication or within memory spaces of a singular component for intra-application communication may be facilitated through the creation and parsing of a grammar. A grammar may be developed by using development tools such as lex, yacc, XML, and/or the like, which allow for grammar generation and parsing capabilities, which in turn may form the basis of communication messages within and between components.
For example, a grammar may be arranged to recognize the tokens of an HTTP post command, e.g.:
where Value1 is discerned as being a parameter because “http://” is part of the grammar syntax, and what follows is considered part of the post value. Similarly, with such a grammar, a variable “Value1” may be inserted into an “http://” post command and then sent. The grammar syntax itself may be presented as structured data that is interpreted and/or otherwise used to generate the parsing mechanism (e.g., a syntax description text file as processed by lex, yacc, etc.). Also, once the parsing mechanism is generated and/or instantiated, it itself may process and/or parse structured data such as, but not limited to: character (e.g., tab) delineated text, HTML, structured text streams, XML, and/or the like structured data. In another embodiment, inter-application data processing protocols themselves may have integrated and/or readily available parsers (e.g., JSON, SOAP, and/or like parsers) that may be employed to parse (e.g., communications) data. Further, the parsing grammar may be used beyond message parsing, but may also be used to parse: databases, data collections, data stores, structured data, and/or the like. Again, the desired configuration will depend upon the context, environment, and requirements of system deployment.
For example, in some implementations, the EOOR controller may be executing a PHP script implementing a Secure Sockets Layer (“SSL”) socket server via the information server, which listens to incoming communications on a server port to which a client may send data, e.g., data encoded in JSON format. Upon identifying an incoming communication, the PHP script may read the incoming message from the client device, parse the received JSON-encoded text data to extract information from the JSON-encoded text data into PHP script variables, and store the data (e.g., client identifying information, etc.) and/or extracted information in a relational database accessible using the Structured Query Language (“SQL”). An exemplary listing, written substantially in the form of PHP/SQL commands, to accept JSON-encoded input data from a client device via a SSL connection, parse the data to extract variables, and store the data to a database, is provided below:
Also, the following resources may be used to provide example embodiments regarding SOAP parser implementation:
and other parser implementations:
all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Additional embodiments of the EOOR may include:
1. An electronic offer optimization and redemption processor-implemented method embodiment transforming payment card information, user payment card selection preference, and purchase inputs into card addition completion, and purchase transactions using optimized payment card and coupon outputs, comprising:
receiving a purchase order request via a consumer wallet device;
determining a wallet account identifier from the purchase order request;
determining a merchant from the purchase order request;
retrieving a payment card identifier of at least one payment card associated with the wallet account identifier;
generating an offer data query on the payment card identifier;
executing the offer data query and retrieving offer data;
obtaining user payment card and offer selection preference data;
determining an optimized payment card selection, and an optimized offer from the retrieved offer data based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data; and
executing a payment transaction using the optimized payment card and offer selection in response to the purchase order request.
2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the consumer wallet device comprises any of an electronic mobile wallet, a desktop application, a plug-in to existing applications, a standalone mobile application, a web based application, and a smart prepaid card.
3. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the purchase order request further comprises purchase item information and merchant information.
4. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the offer comprises any of mileage, cash backs, and purchase discounts.
5. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the offer is associated with a category of purchase item.
6. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the offer is associated with a merchant.
7. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user when adding the user payment card to the consumer wallet device.
8. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data comprises a user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator and a user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator.
9. The method of embodiment 8, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator comprises any of: user manually specifying user payment card and offer selection, automatic payment card selection, automatic offer selection and automatic payment card and offer selection.
10. The method of embodiment 8, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator indicates the user payment card and offer are selected for any of: maximizing an overall dollar savings;
maximizing an upfront dollar savings;
maximizing cash back dollar savings;
maximizing the rewards points;
providing lowest interest; and
providing best insurance terms.
11. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
using the payment card to purchase a preferred product category.
12. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises user payment card usage controls, including any of:
a spend range;
a usage proximity requirement;
a usage geographical requirement;
a usage frequency range; and
an overall spend limit.
13. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user to apply to multiple user payment cards.
14. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
determining the payment card has a sufficient balance.
15. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
comparing benefits of each payment card;
sorting payment cards in the order of benefits; and
selecting the optimized payment card that maximizes user desired benefits.
16. The method of embodiment 1, further comprising:
receiving an image of merchant-specific customer information on a customer card; and
17. The method of embodiment 16, further comprising:
automatically parsing the searchable data and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database.
18. The method of embodiment 16, further comprising:
automatically applying the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at a point-of-sale terminal for a merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information.
19. The method of embodiment 16, further comprising:
automatically detecting a location of the consumer wallet device being used by the user and determining an identity of a merchant at the location.
20. The method of embodiment 16, further comprising:
automatically searching a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
21. An electronic offer optimization and redemption system embodiment, comprising:
means for receiving a purchase order request via a consumer wallet device;
means for determining a wallet account identifier from the purchase order request;
means for determining a merchant from the purchase order request;
means for retrieving a payment card identifier of at least one payment card associated with the wallet account identifier;
means for generating an offer data query on the payment card identifier;
means for executing the offer data query and retrieving offer data;
means for obtaining user payment card and offer selection preference data;
means for determining an optimized payment card selection, and an optimized offer from the retrieved offer data based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data; and
means for executing a payment transaction using the optimized payment card and offer selection in response to the purchase order request.
22. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the consumer wallet device comprises any of an electronic mobile wallet, a desktop application, a plug-in to existing applications, a standalone mobile application, a web based application, and a smart prepaid card.
23. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the purchase order request further comprises purchase item information and merchant information.
24. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the offer comprises any of mileage, cash backs, and purchase discounts.
25. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the offer is associated with a category of purchase item.
26. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the offer is associated with a merchant.
27. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user when adding the user payment card to the consumer wallet device.
28. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data comprises a user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator and a user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator.
29. The system of embodiment 28, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator comprises any of: user manually specifying user payment card and offer selection, automatic payment card selection, automatic offer selection and automatic payment card and offer selection.
30. The system of embodiment 28, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator indicates the user payment card and offer are selected for any of: maximizing an overall dollar savings;
maximizing an upfront dollar savings;
maximizing cash back dollar savings;
maximizing the rewards points;
providing lowest interest; and
providing best insurance terms.
31. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
using the payment card to purchase a preferred product category.
32. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises user payment card usage controls, including any of:
a spend range;
a usage proximity requirement;
a usage geographical requirement;
a usage frequency range; and
an overall spend limit.
33. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user to apply to multiple user payment cards.
34. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
determining the payment card has a sufficient balance.
35. The system of embodiment 21, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
comparing benefits of each payment card;
sorting payment cards in the order of benefits; and
selecting the optimized payment card that maximizes user desired benefits.
36. The system of embodiment 21, further comprising:
means for receiving an image of merchant-specific customer information on a customer card; and
means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image to produce searchable data.
37. The system of embodiment 36, further comprising:
means for automatically parsing the searchable data and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database.
38. The system of embodiment 36, further comprising:
automatically applying the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at a point-of-sale terminal for a merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information.
39. The system of embodiment 36, further comprising:
means for automatically detecting a location of the consumer wallet device being used by the user and determining an identity of a merchant at the location.
40. The system of embodiment 36, further comprising:
means for automatically searching a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
41. An electronic offer optimization and redemption apparatus embodiment, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory disposed in communication with the processor and storing processor-executable instructions to:
receive a purchase order request via a consumer wallet device;
determine a wallet account identifier from the purchase order request;
determine a merchant from the purchase order request;
retrieve a payment card identifier of at least one payment card associated with the wallet account identifier;
generate an offer data query on the payment card identifier;
execute the offer data query and retrieving offer data;
obtain user payment card and offer selection preference data;
determine an optimized payment card selection, and an optimized offer from the retrieved offer data based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data; and
execute a payment transaction using the optimized payment card and offer selection in response to the purchase order request.
42. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the consumer wallet device comprises any of an electronic mobile wallet, a desktop application, a plug-in to existing applications, a standalone mobile application, a web based application, and a smart prepaid card.
43. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the purchase order request further comprises purchase item information and merchant information.
44. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the offer comprises any of mileage, cash backs, and purchase discounts.
45. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the offer is associated with a category of purchase item.
46. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the offer is associated with a merchant.
47. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user when adding the user payment card to the consumer wallet device.
48. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data comprises a user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator and a user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator.
49. The apparatus of embodiment 48, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator comprises any of: user manually specifying user payment card and offer selection, automatic payment card selection, automatic offer selection and automatic payment card and offer selection.
50. The apparatus of embodiment 48, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator indicates the user payment card and offer are selected for any of: maximizing an overall dollar savings;
maximizing an upfront dollar savings;
maximizing cash back dollar savings;
maximizing the rewards points;
providing lowest interest; and
providing best insurance terms.
51. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
using the payment card to purchase a preferred product category.
52. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises user payment card usage controls, including any of:
a spend range;
a usage proximity requirement;
a usage geographical requirement;
a usage frequency range; and
an overall spend limit.
53. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user to apply to multiple user payment cards.
54. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
determining the payment card has a sufficient balance.
55. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
comparing benefits of each payment card;
sorting payment cards in the order of benefits; and
selecting the optimized payment card that maximizes user desired benefits.
56. The apparatus of embodiment 41, wherein the processor further issues instructions to:
receive an image of merchant-specific customer information on a customer card; and
perform an optical character recognition process on the image to produce searchable data.
57. The apparatus of embodiment 56, wherein the processor further issues instructions to:
automatically parse the searchable data and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database.
58. The apparatus of embodiment 56, wherein the processor further issues instructions to:
automatically apply the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at a point-of-sale terminal for a merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information.
59. The apparatus of embodiment 56, wherein the processor further issues instructions to:
automatically detect a location of the consumer wallet device being used by the user and determining an identity of a merchant at the location.
60. The apparatus of embodiment 56, wherein the processor further issues instructions to:
automatically search a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
61. An electronic offer optimization and redemption processor-readable non-transitory medium embodiment storing processor-executable instructions issuable by a processor to:
receive a purchase order request via a consumer wallet device;
determine a wallet account identifier from the purchase order request;
determine a merchant from the purchase order request;
retrieve a payment card identifier of at least one payment card associated with the wallet account identifier;
generate an offer data query on the payment card identifier;
execute the offer data query and retrieving offer data;
obtain user payment card and offer selection preference data;
determine an optimized payment card selection, and an optimized offer from the retrieved offer data based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data; and
execute a payment transaction using the optimized payment card and offer selection in response to the purchase order request.
62. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the consumer wallet device comprises any of an electronic mobile wallet, a desktop application, a plug-in to existing applications, a standalone mobile application, a web based application, and a smart prepaid card.
63. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the purchase order request further comprises purchase item information and merchant information.
64. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the offer comprises any of mileage, cash backs, and purchase discounts.
65. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the offer is associated with a category of purchase item.
66. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the offer is associated with a merchant.
67. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user when adding the user payment card to the consumer wallet device.
68. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data comprises a user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator and a user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator.
69. The medium of embodiment 68, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization mode indicator comprises any of: user manually specifying user payment card and offer selection, automatic payment card selection, automatic offer selection and automatic payment card and offer selection.
70. The medium of embodiment 68, wherein the user payment card and offer optimization objective indicator indicates the user payment card and offer are selected for any of: maximizing an overall dollar savings;
maximizing an upfront dollar savings;
maximizing cash back dollar savings;
maximizing the rewards points;
providing lowest interest; and
providing best insurance terms.
71. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
using the payment card to purchase a preferred product category.
72. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises user payment card usage controls, including any of:
a spend range;
a usage proximity requirement;
a usage geographical requirement;
a usage frequency range; and
an overall spend limit.
73. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the user payment card and offer selection preference data is specified by a user to apply to multiple user payment cards.
74. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
determining the payment card has a sufficient balance.
75. The medium of embodiment 61, wherein the determining an optimized payment card and offer selection based on the user payment card and offer selection preference data further comprises:
comparing benefits of each payment card;
sorting payment cards in the order of benefits; and
selecting the optimized payment card that maximizes user desired benefits.
76. The medium of embodiment 61, further storing processor-executable instructions issuable by the processor to:
receive an image of merchant-specific customer information on a customer card; and
perform an optical character recognition process on the image to produce searchable data.
77. The medium of embodiment 76, further storing processor-executable instructions issuable by the processor to:
automatically parse the searchable data and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database.
78. The medium of embodiment 76, further storing processor-executable instructions issuable by the processor to:
automatically apply the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at a point-of-sale terminal for a merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information.
79. The medium of embodiment 76, further storing processor-executable instructions issuable by the processor to:
automatically detect a location of the consumer wallet device being used by the user and determining an identity of a merchant at the location.
80. The medium of embodiment 76, further storing processor-executable instructions issuable by the processor to:
automatically search a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
81. An electronic offer optimization and redemption processor-implemented method embodiment of transforming an image of a customer card into searchable customer information stored in a pay network database, the method comprising:
receiving, via a mobile device of a customer, an image of customer information on a customer card;
performing an optical character recognition procedure on the image to produce searchable data; and
automatically parsing the searchable data and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database; and
transmitting the secure virtual wallet profile for the customer from the payment network database to a point-of-sale device for a merchant.
82. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising automatically detecting the location of a mobile device being used by the customer and determining the identity of the merchant at that location.
83. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising automatically searching a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
84. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising automatically searching publicly available network sources for additional discounts to be applied at the point of sale.
85. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, wherein the searchable data comprises any of:
a card number; and
a customer name.
86. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, wherein the customer card is added to the virtual wallet profile based on the searchable data.
87. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising:
automatically applying the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at the point-of-sale terminal for the merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information.
88. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising:
receiving a payment authorization request at a payment network using product information obtained from the merchant, merchant information, and the secure digital wallet profile for the customer.
89. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising:
automatically search a designated email account for additional discounts to be applied to the customer's purchase at the point of sale.
90. The processor-implemented method of embodiment 81, further comprising:
automatically detect a location of the consumer wallet device being used by the user and determining an identity of a merchant at the location.
91. An electronic offer optimization and redemption processor-implemented method embodiment of transforming an image of a customer card into a discount applicable at the point of sale, the method comprising:
receiving, via a mobile device of a customer, an image of merchant-specific customer information on a customer card;
automatically parsing the merchant-specific customer information shown on the customer card and adding the information to a secure virtual wallet profile for the customer stored in a payment network database;
transmitting the secure virtual wallet profile for the customer from the payment network database to a point-of-sale device for a merchant;
automatically applying the merchant-specific customer information to effectuate any applicable discounts at the point-of-sale terminal for the merchant based on the merchant-specific customer information;
receiving a payment authorization request at a payment network using product information obtained from the merchant, merchant information, and the secure digital wallet profile for the customer; and
sending a purchase receipt confirming processing of the transaction at the merchant by the customer.
In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this application for ELECTRONIC OFFER OPTIMIZATION AND REDEMPTION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (including the Cover Page, Title, Headings, Field, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, Claims, Abstract, Figures, Appendices and/or otherwise) shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed innovations may be practiced. The advantages and features of the application are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed principles. It should be understood that they are not representative of all claimed innovations. As such, certain aspects of the disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternate embodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of the innovations or that further undescribed alternate embodiments may be available for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of those alternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of those undescribed embodiments incorporate the same principles of the innovations and others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and functional, logical, operational, organizational, structural and/or topological modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. As such, all examples and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughout this disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding those embodiments discussed herein relative to those not discussed herein other than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition. For instance, it is to be understood that the logical and/or topological structure of any combination of any program components (a component collection), other components and/or any present feature sets as described in the figures and/or throughout are not limited to a fixed operating order and/or arrangement, but rather, any disclosed order is exemplary and all equivalents, regardless of order, are contemplated by the disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that such features are not limited to serial execution, but rather, any number of threads, processes, services, servers, and/or the like that may execute asynchronously, concurrently, in parallel, simultaneously, synchronously, and/or the like are contemplated by the disclosure. As such, some of these features may be mutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the innovations, and inapplicable to others. In addition, the disclosure includes other innovations not presently claimed. Applicant reserves all rights in those presently unclaimed innovations, including the right to claim such innovations, file additional applications, continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the like thereof. As such, it should be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functional, features, logical, operational, organizational, structural, topological, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims. It is to be understood that, depending on the particular needs and/or characteristics of a EOOR individual and/or enterprise user, database configuration and/or relational model, data type, data transmission and/or network framework, syntax structure, and/or the like, various embodiments of the EOOR may be implemented that enable a great deal of flexibility and customization. For example, aspects of the EOOR may be adapted for financial trading; operations security; resource management; and/or the like. While various embodiments and discussions of the EOOR have been directed to electronic commerce, however, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein may be readily configured and/or customized for a wide variety of other applications and/or implementations.
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to: U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/539,969 filed Sep. 27, 2011, entitled “Apparatuses, Methods, And Systems For Finding, Storing, And Applying Discounts For Use In An Electronic Transaction,” attorney docket no. 110US01|20270-197PV and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/665,220, filed Jun. 27, 2012, entitled “Payment Card and Coupon Optimization Apparatuses, Methods, And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42182PRV|20270-146PV. This application is also a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§120, 365 to United States nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/520,481, filed Jul. 3, 2012, entitled “Universal Electronic Payment Apparatuses, Methods and Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42051US02|20270-136US, which is a National Stage Entry entitled to, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§365, 371 corresponding to, PCT application no. PCT/US12/26205, filed Feb. 22, 2012, entitled “Universal Electronic Payment Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42051WO01|20270-136PC, which in turn claims priority under 35 USC §119 to: U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/445,482 filed Feb. 22, 2011, entitled “Universal Electronic Payment Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42051PRV|20270-136PV; United States provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/545,971 filed Oct. 11, 2011, entitled “Universal Electronic Payment Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42051US01|20270-136PV1; U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/473,728 filed Apr. 8, 2011, entitled “Apparatuses, Methods And Systems For An Application Integration Payment Platform,” attorney docket no. P-42189PRV|20270-147PV; U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/466,409 filed Mar. 22, 2011, entitled “Electronic Wallet,” attorney docket no. P-41963PRV|20270-148PV; U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/469,965 filed Mar. 31, 2011, entitled “Apparatuses, Methods And Systems For A Targeted Acceptance Platform,” attorney docket no. P-41838PRV|20270-062PV; and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/538,761 filed Sep. 23, 2011, entitled “Electronic Wallet Transaction Consumer Leash Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. 93US01|20270-194PV. PCT application no. PCT/US12/26205 is also a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§120, 365 to: United States nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/398,817 filed Feb. 16, 2012, entitled “Snap Mobile Payment Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-42032US001|20270-127US; and United States nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/348,634 filed Jan. 11, 2012, entitled “Universal Value Exchange Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. P-41948US01|20270-089US. This application is related to PCT international patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Sep. 27, 2012, entitled “ELECTRONIC OFFER OPTIMIZATION AND REDEMPTION Apparatuses, Methods And Systems,” attorney docket no. 110WO001|20270-197PC. The entire contents of the aforementioned applications are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61539969 | Sep 2011 | US | |
61665220 | Jun 2012 | US | |
61445482 | Feb 2011 | US | |
61466409 | Mar 2011 | US | |
61469965 | Mar 2011 | US | |
61473728 | Apr 2011 | US | |
61538761 | Sep 2011 | US | |
61545971 | Oct 2011 | US | |
61539969 | Sep 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13520481 | US | |
Child | 13629006 | US | |
Parent | 13348634 | Jan 2012 | US |
Child | 13520481 | US | |
Parent | 13398817 | Feb 2012 | US |
Child | 13348634 | US |