Patents by Inventor Michelle Eng Winters
Michelle Eng Winters has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20140344068Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to receive a request for a profile to customize information for presentation to a user identified in the request and, responsive to the request identifying the user, provide the profile that is generated based on transaction data of the user. The profile summarizes the transaction data of the user using a plurality of values representing aggregated spending in various areas. The information includes an advertisement selected, prioritized, adjusted, or generated based on the profile. The advertisement includes at least an offer, such as a discount, incentive, reward, coupon, gift, cash back, benefit, product, or service.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas, James Alan VonDerheide, Diane C. Salmon
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Publication number: 20140310086Abstract: A computing apparatus includes: a transaction handler to process transactions; a portal to receive from users enrollment input identifying account identifiers of the users and respective loyalty programs; and a data warehouse to store data associating the account identifiers with the respective loyalty programs. In response to an authorization request received in the transaction handler for a payment transaction identifying a first account identifier, the computing apparatus is to use the data warehouse to determine whether the first account identifier is enrolled with a loyalty program; and if the first account identifier is enrolled with a first loyalty program, the computing apparatus is to use the transaction handler to request purchase details from the merchant via a response to the authorization request, and determine benefits to be awarded to the user of the first account identifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, Leigh Amaro, Michelle Eng Winters, Alfred William Griggs, Laura DiGioacchino, Diane C. Salmon, Kevin Paul Siegel, Kaushik Subramanian, James Alan VonDerheide
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Publication number: 20140304130Abstract: A computing apparatus includes: a transaction handler configured to process transactions in a payment processing network; a data warehouse configured to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler; a profile generator configured to generate, based on the transaction data, a profile including business activity data configured to identify a time period of active business, and a portal configured to communicate with a search engine to enhance search results using the business activity data.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: Visa International Service AssociationInventors: Michelle Eng Winters, Vipul Bahety, Kevin Akerman
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Patent number: 8843391Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler and to store mapping data between first user identifiers and first account identifiers, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to receive a query identifying a second user identifier used by the first tracker to track online activities of a user. The system is to identify a second account identifier of the user from the second user identifier based on the mapping data between the first user identifiers and the first account identifiers to facilitate targeted advertising using the profile of the user and/or to provide information about certain transactions of the user related to a previously presented advertisement.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Leigh Amaro, Michelle Eng Winters, Nurtekin Savas, Charles Raymond Byce, Ryan Hagey
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Publication number: 20140244352Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus includes: a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed by the transaction handler, a portal coupled with the data warehouse to receive one or more parameters as an input and to provide spending activity information for presentation as a response to the input, and an analytics engine coupled with the portal and the data warehouse to analyze spending activities of a user based on the transaction data and the one or more parameters to generate the spending activity information regarding transactions in a plurality of accounts of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Leigh Amaro
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Publication number: 20140244353Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, a portal configured to communicate with a search engine and to provide a user interface to receive a request from a merchant, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal. In response to the request received from the merchant via the portal, the at least one processor identifies a set of first statistics based on search activities of the search engine, identifies a set of second statistics based on the transactions relevant to the search activities, and uses the portal to juxtapose the set of first statistics and the set of second statistics.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventor: Michelle Eng Winters
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Publication number: 20140236678Abstract: A computing apparatus is configured to: receive a search term from a user; identify a region within which a residence location of the user is located; obtain a spending profile generated based on aggregating transaction data of users residing in the region; and customize a search result based on the spending profile. For examples, spending of users residing in different regions (e.g., identified via zip+4 postal codes) can be aggregated within respective regions, and normalized and/or ranked across the regions to generate spending preference indicators. Further, the average distances between the residence locations of users residing with different regions and merchant locations at which the users make transactions using payment accounts are determined for the respective regions. The spending indicators and the average distance are used to select, prioritize and/or customize search results to reflect the spending preferences of users based on the residence regions of the users.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: Visa International Service AssociationInventors: Kevin Akerman, Vipul Bahety, Michelle Eng Winters, Jinping Gong, Charles Raymond Byce
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Patent number: 8744906Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to receive a request for a profile to customize information for presentation to a user identified in the request and, responsive to the request identifying the user, provide the profile that is generated based on transaction data of the user. The profile summarizes the transaction data of the user using a plurality of values representing aggregated spending in various areas. The information includes an advertisement selected, prioritized, adjusted, or generated based on the profile. The advertisement includes at least an offer, such as a discount, incentive, reward, coupon, gift, cash back, benefit, product, or service.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas, James Alan VonDerheide, Diane C. Salmon
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Patent number: 8738418Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, a portal configured to communicate with a search engine and to provide a user interface to receive a request from a merchant, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal. In response to the request received from the merchant via the portal, the at least one processor identifies a set of first statistics based on search activities of the search engine, identifies a set of second statistics based on the transactions relevant to the search activities, and uses the portal to juxtapose the set of first statistics and the set of second statistics.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2011Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventor: Michelle Eng Winters
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Patent number: 8639567Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and configured to identify a first set of customers who made first transactions correlated with an advertisement, identify a second set of customers not in the first set of customers, and determine a difference between a first pattern in a first set of transactions of the first set of customers and a second pattern in a second set of transactions of the second set of customers.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventor: Michelle Eng Winters
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Patent number: 8626579Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to facilitate the identification of a transaction resulting from an activity occurring in a substantially separate context or environment, such as an offline transaction in a “brick and mortar” retail store resulting from an online advertisement or an online search. The computing apparatus may match information about the activity and information about the transaction to correlate the online activity and the offline transaction. The matching process may involve the use of an offer for a discount, an incentive, a rebate, a reward, reward points, cash back, a gift, etc. The offer is to be provided in the advertisement associated with an online activity and redeemed in a payment transaction, processed via the transaction handler, to correlate the advertisement and the transaction.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas, Peter Ciurea, James Alan VonDerheide, Diane C. Salmon
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Patent number: 8606630Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, an advertisement selector to identify an advertisement based on the profile of the user in response to the transaction handler processing a transaction of the user, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to provide the advertisement for presentation to the user in connection with information about the transaction of the user. In one example, the profile includes a plurality of values representing aggregated spending of the user in various areas to summarize the transactions of the user.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Visa U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas
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Patent number: 8595058Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler and to store mapping data between first user identifiers and first account identifiers, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to receive a query identifying a second user identifier used by the first tracker to track online activities of a user. The system is to identify a second account identifier of the user from the second user identifier based on the mapping data between the first user identifiers and the first account identifiers to facilitate targeted advertising using the profile of the user and/or to provide information about certain transactions of the user related to a previously presented advertisement.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2010Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Visa U.S.A.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Leigh Amaro, Michelle Eng Winters, Nurtekin Savas, Charles Raymond Byce, Ryan Hagey
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Publication number: 20120215610Abstract: A computing apparatus is configured to use the transaction data of a user and the transaction data of the friends of the user to generate a profile to identify, select, and/or customize an offer that is initially communicated to the user. The offer is shareable by the user with the friends of the user. The computing apparatus is configured to monitor the transactions of the user and/or the friends of the user to detect a transaction that satisfies the redemption requirement of the offer and thus provide the benefit of the offer to the purchaser involved in the transaction, which may be the user or one of the friends of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2012Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATIONInventors: Leigh Amaro, Michelle Eng Winters
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Publication number: 20120109734Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler and to store mapping data between first user identifiers and first account identifiers, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to receive a query identifying a second user identifier used by the first tracker to track online activities of a user. The system is to identify a second account identifier of the user from the second user identifier based on the mapping data between the first user identifiers and the first account identifiers to facilitate targeted advertising using the profile of the user and/or to provide information about certain transactions of the user related to a previously presented advertisement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2011Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Leigh Amaro, Michelle Eng Winters, Nurtekin Savas, Charles Raymond Byce, Ryan Hagey
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Publication number: 20120109709Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to generate audience measurement data regarding presentation of information to a plurality of customers via one or more media channels, identify the plurality of customers to a transaction handler to request information, receive the information generated based on transaction data related to a plurality of transactions processed at the transaction handler, and generate a report based on the audience measurement data and the information generated based on the transaction data. The one or more media channels may include an online media channel, a mobile communication channel, or an offline media channel, such as television broadcast, radio broadcast, newspaper, magazine, direct mail, billboard, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2011Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Charles Raymond Byce, Kevin Paul Siegel, Ryan Hagey, Leigh Amaro, Nurtekin Savas
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Publication number: 20120030006Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to: capture first images of customers who have watched a digital sign, using a digital camera attached to the digital sign positioned in vicinity of a retail location; identify characteristics of the customers based on the first images; identify, using the characteristics, a subset of customers who have made payment transactions at the retail location through a transaction handler; determine an aggregated spending profile based on transactions of the subset of customers recorded by the transaction handler; and arrange content on the digital sign based on the aggregated spending profile. The computing apparatus may be further configured to capture second images of the customers who have made payment transactions at the retail location through the transaction handler, using a digital camera attached to a point of sale (POS) station at the retail location, and to correlate the first and second images to identify the subset.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATIONInventors: Jeanette Yoder, Charles Raymond Byce, Michelle Eng Winters
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Publication number: 20110302036Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording the transactions processed at the transaction handler, a profile generator to generate a profile of a user based on the transaction data, an advertisement selector to identify an advertisement based on the profile of the user in response to the transaction handler processing a transaction of the user, and a portal coupled to the transaction handler to provide the advertisement for presentation to the user in connection with information about the transaction of the user. In one example, the profile includes a plurality of values representing aggregated spending of the user in various areas to summarize the transactions of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas
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Publication number: 20110302039Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to receive a request for a profile to customize information for presentation to a user identified in the request and, responsive to the request identifying the user, provide the profile that is generated based on transaction data of the user. The profile summarizes the transaction data of the user using a plurality of values representing aggregated spending in various areas. The information includes an advertisement selected, prioritized, adjusted, or generated based on the profile. The advertisement includes at least an offer, such as a discount, incentive, reward, coupon, gift, cash back, benefit, product, or service.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas, James Alan VonDerheide, Diane C. Salmon
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Publication number: 20110302022Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to facilitate the identification of a transaction resulting from an activity occurring in a substantially separate context or environment, such as an offline transaction in a “brick and mortar” retail store resulting from an online advertisement or an online search. The computing apparatus may match information about the activity and information about the transaction to correlate the online activity and the offline transaction. The matching process may involve the use of an offer for a discount, an incentive, a rebate, a reward, reward points, cash back, a gift, etc. The offer is to be provided in the advertisement associated with an online activity and redeemed in a payment transaction, processed via the transaction handler, to correlate the advertisement and the transaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: VISA U.S.A. INC.Inventors: Edward W. Fordyce, III, Michelle Eng Winters, Kevin Paul Siegel, Leigh Amaro, Charles Raymond Byce, Nurtekin Savas, Peter Ciurea, James Alan VonDerheide, Diane C. Salmon