Patents by Inventor Theodore S. Voltmer

Theodore S. Voltmer 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).

  • Publication number: 20180165702
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a loyalty program on a network-wide level. Embodiments may associate UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one embodiment, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such as primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (e.g. including any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one embodiment, this disclosure enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Theodore S. Voltmer, Donna A. Antonucci, Scott M. Greenhut, John Hayes, Kendall Sneddon, Christine D. Ciccarone, Jason Ewell, Johnson Lam, Joanne Zaiac, Laura Lang, Seraj Bharwani, Michel P. Zeisser, Joseph Fernandes, Elizabeth Hilton Segal
  • Publication number: 20180033021
    Abstract: The invention facilitates pooling, gifting or transferring of geographic area loyalty points between accounts. The invention also facilitates a transfer of geographic area loyalty points from a consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to a consumer account associated with a host company. The invention may also facilitate gifting of loyalty points to charitable organizations on a recurring basis, wherein the gifting may transfer any portion of geographic based points to various charities. The system may also convert the geographic area loyalty points to a monetary value, thereby allowing the points to be donated to a charity such that the donation appears to be a monetary value donation to the charity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Perry A. Cohagan, Birgitta Mayer, Julia Menichilli, Theodore S. Voltmer, Penelope Wood-Kulko
  • Patent number: 9842345
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a loyalty program on a network-wide level. Embodiments may associate UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyzes and/or analyzes relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one embodiment, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such as primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (e.g. including any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one embodiment, this disclosure enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: GULA CONSULTING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Theodore S. Voltmer, Donna A. Antonucci, Scott M. Greenhut, John Hayes, Kendall Sneddon, Christine D. Ciccarone, Jason Ewell, Johnson Lam, Joanne Zaiac, Laura Lang, Seraj Bharwani, Michel P. Zeisser, Joseph Fernandes, Elizabeth Hilton Segal
  • Publication number: 20140195314
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a loyalty program on a network-wide level. Embodiments may associate UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one embodiment, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such as primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (e.g. including any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one embodiment, this disclosure enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: PROPULSION REMOTE HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Theodore S. Voltmer, Donna A. Antonucci, Scott M. Greenhut, John Hayes, Kendall Sneddon, Christine D. Ciccarone, Jason Ewell, Johnson Lam, Joanne Zaiac, Laura Lang, Seraj Bharwani, Michel P. Zeisser, Joseph Fernandes, Elizabeth Hilton Segal
  • Patent number: 8738532
    Abstract: Consumers may utilize computing devices to assist in the purchase and/or loyalty process, and in particular, the consumer may utilize a PDA to facilitate the purchase and/or loyalty process. During the purchase and/or loyalty process, the consumer may need to insure that any content downloaded or used in association with the PDA is secure in how it is collected, assembled, and delivered to the PDA device. This system and method secures the data from its source to when it is actually viewed or used by the authorized user. The exemplary system and method may establish a PDA portal link to the web site for collecting specified information for a user and transmitting the information to the remote device. To receive the information, the PDA contacts the portal and establishes a connection, authenticates itself to the network and allows the user to complete secured transactions or transmissions over the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Fred Bishop, Trey Neemann, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Publication number: 20140143041
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a merchant loyalty program is disclosed. The invention includes receiving purchase data, wherein the purchase data comprises a consumer account code, a purchase amount, and a service establishment code; associating the service establishment code with a merchant proprietor rewards account code; calculating a reward amount based on the purchase amount; and, crediting a merchant proprietor reward account with at least a portion of said reward amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Propulsion Remote Holdings. LLC
    Inventors: Elts de Boer, Glyn Philip Jackson, Samuel Martin Ramsey, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Patent number: 8639568
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a merchant loyalty program is disclosed. The invention includes receiving purchase data, wherein the purchase data comprises a consumer account code, a purchase amount, and a service establishment code; associating the service establishment code with a merchant proprietor rewards account code; calculating a reward amount based on the purchase amount; and, crediting a merchant proprietor reward account with at least a portion of said reward amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Elts de Boer, Glyn Philip Jackson, Samuel Martin Ramsey, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Publication number: 20140012653
    Abstract: The invention facilitates a loyalty system which is associated with pre-determined geographic locations and/or services and goods offered in a specific geographic area. The system is configured with one product platform with a modularized approach to facilitate the development of market specific rewards and communication materials. The loyalty points may be earned within a specific geographic location, then redeemed in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions. Similarly, the loyalty points may be earned in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions, then redeemed only in a specific geographic location. The geographic features of the system may be implemented using existing data that is associated with geographic areas such as, for example, zip codes, retailer identification codes, service establishment codes and/or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: PROPULSION REMOTE HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Perry A. Cohagan, Birgitta Mayer, Julia Menichilli, Theodore S. Voltmer, Penelope Wood-Kulko
  • Patent number: 8626582
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analysis and/or analysis relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one aspect, the system enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Theodore S. Voltmer, Donna A. Antonucci, Scott M. Greenhut, John Hayes, Kendall Sneddon, Christine D. Ciccarone, Jason Ewell, Johnson Lam, Joanne Zaiac, Laura Lang, Seraj Bharwani, Michel P. Zeisser, Joseph Fernandes, Elizabeth Hilton Segal
  • Patent number: 8458026
    Abstract: A system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level is disclosed. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. The association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore S. Voltmer, Fauziah B. Ariff
  • Patent number: 8423401
    Abstract: The invention includes an improved system and method for creating, distributing and storing vouchers. The method includes a loyalty system obtaining a loyalty card account having a unique identifier and loyalty points associated therewith, accessing a loyalty database utilizing the unique identifier, converting at least a portion of the loyalty points to a first value associated with a first merchant, saving the first value in a first database associated with the loyalty card, converting at least a portion of the loyalty points to a second value associated with a second merchant, saving the second value along with other voucher information as an electronic voucher in a second database associated with the loyalty card, redeeming the first value at a first merchant and redeeming the electronic voucher at a second merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Donna A. Antonucci, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Publication number: 20120197707
    Abstract: The invention facilitates pooling, gifting or transferring of geographic area loyalty points between accounts. The invention also facilitates a transfer of geographic area loyalty points from a consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to a consumer account associated with a host company. The invention may also facilitate gifting of loyalty points to charitable organizations on a recurring basis, wherein the gifting may transfer any portion of geographic based points to various charities. The system may also convert the geographic area loyalty points to a monetary value, thereby allowing the points to be donated to a charity such that the donation appears to be a monetary value donation to the charity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Perry A. Cohagan, Birgitta Mayer, Julia Menichilli, Theodore S. Voltmer, Penelope Wood-Kulko
  • Publication number: 20120197706
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a merchant loyalty program is disclosed. The invention includes receiving purchase data, wherein the purchase data comprises a consumer account code, a purchase amount, and a service establishment code; associating the service establishment code with a merchant proprietor rewards account code; calculating a reward amount based on the purchase amount; and, crediting a merchant proprietor reward account with at least a portion of said reward amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: PROPULSION REMOTE HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Elts de Boer, Glyn Philip Jackson, Samuel Martin Ramsey, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Patent number: 8180671
    Abstract: The invention facilitates pooling, gifting or transferring of geographic area loyalty points between accounts. The invention also facilitates a transfer of geographic area loyalty points from a consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to a consumer account associated with a host company. The invention may also facilitate gifting of loyalty points to charitable organizations on a recurring basis, wherein the gifting may transfer any portion of geographic based points to various charities. The system may also convert the geographic area loyalty points to a monetary value, thereby allowing the points to be donated to a charity such that the donation appears to be a monetary value donation to the charity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Perry A. Cohagan, Birgitta Mayer, Julia Menichilli, Theodore S. Voltmer, Penelope Wood-Kulko
  • Patent number: 8155999
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a merchant loyalty program is disclosed. The invention includes receiving purchase data, wherein the purchase data comprises a consumer account code, a purchase amount, and a service establishment code; associating the service establishment code with a merchant proprietor rewards account code; calculating a reward amount based on the purchase amount; and, crediting a merchant proprietor reward account with at least a portion of said reward amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Propulsion Remote Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Elts de Boer, Glyn Philip Jackson, Samuel Martin Ramsey, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Publication number: 20120041813
    Abstract: A system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level is disclosed. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. The association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Voltmer, Fauziah B. Ariff
  • Publication number: 20120016730
    Abstract: The invention includes facilitating the substantially real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts. The method and system include receiving a transfer request (e.g., consumer request, triggering event, etc) for a transfer of a certain number of loyalty points, accessing and analyzing the total number of loyalty points in the transferor account to determine if a sufficient number of points exist, analyzing the type/level of consumer and type/level of points to be involved in the transfer, deducting the requested loyalty points from the transferor account, determining if any rules exist for restricting or limiting the transfer of points, using a conversion engine to convert the point value to an appropriate point value in the transferee account and increasing the point balance in the transferee account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Donna Antonucci, Theodore S. Voltmer
  • Publication number: 20110302020
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns, for example. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one aspect, the system enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Fauziah B. Ariff, Theodore S. Voltmer, Donna A. Antonucci, Scott M. Greenhut, John Hayes, Kendall Sneddon, Christine D. Ciccarone, Jason Ewell, Johnson Lam, Joanne Zaiac, Laura Lang, Seraj Bharwani, Michel P. Zeisser, Joseph Fernandes, Elizabeth Hilton Segal
  • Patent number: 8065182
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Voltmer, Fauziah B. Ariff
  • Publication number: 20110271098
    Abstract: Consumers may utilize computing devices to assist in the purchase and/or loyalty process, and in particular, the consumer may utilize a PDA to facilitate the purchase and/or loyalty process. During the purchase and/or loyalty process, the consumer may need to insure that any content downloaded or used in association with the PDA is secure in how it is collected, assembled, and delivered to the PDA device. This system and method secures the data from its source to when it is actually viewed or used by the authorized user. The exemplary system and method may establish a PDA portal link to the web site for collecting specified information for a user and transmitting the information to the remote device. To receive the information, the PDA contacts the portal and establishes a connection, authenticates itself to the network and allows the user to complete secured transactions or transmissions over the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Bishop, Trey Neemann, Theodore S. Voltmer, Fauziah B. Ariff