Patents Assigned to Signature Systems, LLC
  • Publication number: 20120004973
    Abstract: A transaction system implemented with an exchange computer that interconnects with a user computing device, a data linking service, a plurality of transactional databases, and a plurality of information databases. The exchange computer receives, from a user computing device, customer identification data that identifies a customer, uses the customer identification data to access a customer database and retrieve from the customer database a customer record set, which includes a plurality of account information records, each of which is suitable for logging into an associated database. The exchange computer then uses each of the account information records to communicate with the database associated with the account information record and retrieve customer information. The retrieved customer information is then collated into an account web page, which is sent to the user computing device for display by the user computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 8078496
    Abstract: A system and method for implementation of product searches via a search engine over a networked computer system such as the Internet. In particular, a user may execute a search for product offers that are accompanied with reward components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.) and/or those that allow payment in whole or in part with payment components (e.g. reward points, rebates, coupons, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Signature Systems, LLC.
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 8051008
    Abstract: A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Signature Systems, LLC.
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20110196729
    Abstract: Providing rewards to a user by storing a user profile in memory of a computing device, the user profile including profile data including prior purchase history by the user including details of a plurality of transactions that have been previously executed by the user. The profile data is analyzed in accordance with a scoring algorithm to provide a score that is indicative of the relative value of the user, and the user is provided with a reward in accordance with the user's score as indicated by the scoring algorithm. The reward provided to the user may be a coupon, a rebate, a discount or reward points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20110153409
    Abstract: A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20110078010
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Signature Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20110078008
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7873574
    Abstract: A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20110004512
    Abstract: A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Publication number: 20100280896
    Abstract: An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant's point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Richard David Postrel
  • Publication number: 20100274655
    Abstract: An online reward exchange system and method of operation, which includes an exchange computer that interoperates via a computer network with user computers, reward point issuer computers, and merchant computers. The merchants' products may be purchased by a user by requesting via a user computer, merchant's point of sale device, or mobile device an issuer(s) to redeem reward points in exchange for payment to the merchant for the product. The exchange computer is the gateway to the system and manages various transactions such as providing online product catalogs to users that list the merchants products, as well as displaying to the user the reward points he has available in his reward programs with the issuers. Once a user selects a desired product the exchange computer can mediate or manage the purchase transaction in which reward points are redeemed by the selected issuer and consideration is conveyed to the merchant in exchange for the merchant providing the product to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Richard David Postrel
  • Publication number: 20100223118
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: SIGNATURE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7769630
    Abstract: A loyalty or reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of a typical credit card network. In one embodiment, a user makes a purchase at a merchant of a product using a credit card. The merchant contacts the acquiring bank (which may be any type of financial institution but is referred to generically herein as a bank) with which it has contracted for credit card network services, and as known in the art, will get an approval or decline message after the acquiring bank contacts the issuing bank of the credit card used by the purchaser. Assuming that the purchase transaction is approved, the user is awarded loyalty points from the merchant based on the amount of the purchase (e.g. 100 points for a $100 purchase). A central server resides on the credit card network and tracks the transaction between the merchant, the acquiring bank, and the issuing bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7765124
    Abstract: A loyalty reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of network such as a credit card network. A user makes a purchase at a merchant using a token such as a credit card. As part of the purchase transaction, the user is awarded reward points from the merchant based on the purchase, which are stored in an account associated with the merchant and the user by the issuing bank. The reward account is maintained on the issuing bank server on behalf of the merchant and the user, and the number of reward points in the user's account for that merchant is increased accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7761378
    Abstract: A user selects a product to be liquidated from a product provider and then designates to the transacting entity that reward points are to be used towards the purchase of the liquidated product. The transacting entity acts to decrease the number of reward points in the user's reward account by the required number of points. The reward account holder conveys consideration to the transacting entity equivalent to the par value of the reward points. The consumer obtains the product in exchange for reward points having a retail value equivalent to what he would have otherwise paid for the product, while the reward account holder is required to convey only the par value of the points. The product provider is able to liquidate the product and obtain payment equivalent to what it would otherwise have obtained in a prior art liquidation process, auction or trading environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7742943
    Abstract: A loyalty reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of network such as a credit card network. A user makes a purchase at a merchant using a token such as a credit card. As part of the purchase transaction, the user is awarded reward points from the merchant based on the purchase, which are stored in an account associated with the merchant and the user by the acquiring bank. The reward account is maintained on the acquiring bank server on behalf of the merchant and the user, and the number of reward points in the user's account for that merchant is increased accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7716080
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a multi-function card (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). The multi-function card is adapted to aggregate some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward accounts and credit the aggregated points into a single reward exchange account on the multi-function card. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points from the multi-function card. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points from the multi-function card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7680687
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from of the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7676393
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel
  • Patent number: 7624040
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Signature Systems LLC
    Inventor: Richard Postrel