Abstract: Introduced here are computer programs and associated computer-implemented techniques for purchasing, selling, and/or transferring cryptocurrency to be disbursed as a reward for using a specialized payment card. The technology allows cardholders to receive cryptocurrency for completing transactions with specialized payment cards without requiring the card-issuing financial institution directly issue the cryptocurrency.

Abstract: At least one aspect of this technical solution is directed to a system for invoking account opportunities for support accounts, the system including a data processing system comprising memory and one or more processors to receive, from one or more external data sources, a plurality of opportunity events indicating modifications for candidate electronic transactions, select, in response to receipt of the plurality of opportunity events, a participant object including a support service identifier associated with a support service, and a participant service identifier associated with a participant service, filter the plurality of opportunity events based at least on a first opportunity metric associated with the participant object to construct a plurality of opportunity objects, rank the plurality of opportunity objects based at least on a determination that the opportunity object satisfies a second opportunity metric associated with the participant object, transmit, to a computing device linked with the partici

Abstract: A system and method is presented for product substantiation and promotion redemption. A purchased product list is transmitted from a retail store system to a promotion analysis server along with a user identifier. The promotion analysis server identifies promotions available to the user, and then considers whether the benefits under the promotions are still available to the user. Discounts for available promotions related to the purchased product list are calculated and transmitted to the retail store system for deduction from the transactions. An approved product list can be provided that filters the purchased product list before transmittal. The approved product list can include promotions from a plurality of programs.

Abstract: In some examples, a payment processing system may send, based on transaction information received from a plurality of merchant devices, an incentive for a first merchant to whom financing has been provided, to achieve a performance target during a specified time period. For instance, the incentive may include a proposed modification to repayment terms for the financing to be implemented if the merchant achieves the performance target during the specified time period. The system may track transactions processed for the first merchant during the specified time period. Based on the tracking, the system may determine that the merchant has achieved the performance target during the specified time period for receiving the incentive, and may implement the modification of the repayment terms for the financing for the first merchant.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of creating and distributing investment funds, and more particularly to systems and methods for creating excess funds from consumer transactions and distributing those funds into one or more investment accounts. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for selecting transactions in a user's spending account to be rounded-up to the nearest dollar, creating a supplemental charge once the aggregation of those round-ups reach a specified minimum, and providing a closed system where the aggregated micro-charges may be converted into investments for long-term savings and growth.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an advanced hardware system for a self-service kiosk are disclosed herein. In specific embodiments of the invention, a payment interface device is provided. The device includes an integrated touch display, a means for receiving payment information, and a casing holding the integrated touch display and the means for receiving payment information. The device also includes an applications microprocessor and a secure microprocessor located within the casing. The applications microprocessor instantiates an operating system and stores instructions for execution by the operating system for operative communication with a peripheral bar code scanner and a peripheral display. The secure microprocessor stores instructions to encrypt payment information for the system and is in operative communication with the means for receiving payment information.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments may provide an online automobile purchasing experience for a customer. The experience may be provided by, or associated with, a financial institution. The automobile buying experience may be accessible to both customers of the financial institution as well as non-customers. Customers of the financial institution may receive added benefits during and after the experience. Non-customers may have the opportunity to become a customer of the financial institution as part of the experience.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include a navigation system and computer-implemented methods for proactively re-routing vehicles to control traffic flow. Consistent with some embodiments, the navigation system seeks to reduce traffic flow along primary navigation routes (e.g., routes with relatively short travel times) by re-routing vehicles to alternative navigation routes (e.g., routes with relatively longer travel times) using incentives. As an example, upon detecting a vehicle traveling along an alternative route instead of a primary route, the navigation system updates a data structure that represents a user account of a vehicle occupant to reflect an increased account balance. Consistent with some embodiments, the amount of value provided to an occupant of a vehicle traveling along an alternative routes may be obtained from user accounts of occupants of other vehicles that are traveling along a primary route.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an advanced hardware system for a self-service kiosk are disclosed herein. In specific embodiments of the invention, a payment interface device is provided. The device includes an integrated touch display, a means for receiving payment information, and a casing holding the integrated touch display and the means for receiving payment information. The device also includes an applications microprocessor and a secure microprocessor located within the casing. The applications microprocessor instantiates an operating system and stores instructions for execution by the operating system for operative communication with a peripheral bar code scanner and a peripheral display. The secure microprocessor stores instructions to encrypt payment information for the system and is in operative communication with the means for receiving payment information.

Abstract: A system and method is presented for product substantiation and promotion redemption. A purchased product list is transmitted from a retail store system to a promotion analysis server along with a user identifier. The promotion analysis server identifies promotions available to the user, and then considers whether the benefits under the promotions are still available to the user. Discounts for available promotions related to the purchased product list are calculated and transmitted to the retail store system for deduction from the transactions. An approved product list can be provided that filters the purchased product list before transmittal. The approved product list can include promotions from a plurality of programs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing a motion or voice based bookmark on a mobile web page, wherein: a bookmark is set by mapping an inputted bookmarking motion or voice to address information of a corresponding mobile web page when the bookmarking motion or voice is inputted through a bookmark screen in a user terminal; the bookmark is stored in a bookmark database; and a page is converted into the mobile web page of the address information which is mapped and stored in advance with respect to an inputted motion or voice by referring to the bookmark database if the same motion or voice as the bookmarking motion or voice is inputted, thereby increasing convenience of access to the mobile web page.

Abstract: A promotion system for determining a deficiency in promotion data and correcting for the deficiency is disclosed. Issuing offers from a promotion program results in promotion data being generated. The promotion data may be analyzed to determine an acceptance rate of the offers. The promotion system may compare whether the acceptance rate is above a predetermined threshold, but has a confidence level that is less than a confidence rate threshold. In that event, the promotion system may issue additional offers in order to increase the confidence level associated with the acceptance rate by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An amount of loyalty program currency is pre-selected by a consumer and exchanged for a corresponding value-added reward also pre-selected by the consumer. The pre-selected reward, which can be a value added back to the consumer payment device, is given when the consumer conducts their pre-selected transaction using their consumer payment device. The amount of the loyalty program currency can be added back to the consumer payment device, and later exchanged for the consumer pre-selected value-adding rewards, by the consumer's transactional use of their consumer payment device. Consumer pre-selected value-added rewards, for instance, can appear as statement credits to an account associated with the consumer payment device. As such, an incentive exists for the consumer to pre-select a transaction to conduct with their consumer payment device to realize a corresponding pre-selected statement credit for such loyal use of their consumer payment device.

Abstract: A system and method for crowdsourcing user-provided brand identifiers and distributing content based on crowd-sourced identifiers is provided. Different user-provided brand identifiers are extracted from messages provided by users of a social network. The identifiers are aggregated into two or more aggregate identity groups. When a brand identifier associated with a user request for content is determined to be in at least one of the aggregate identity groups, content items comprising one or more other brand identifiers of the at least one aggregate identity group are provided to the user.

Abstract: Pursuant to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, and means for conducting payment transactions using mobile devices are provided in which a mobile device is presented at a point of sale for use in a payment transaction. A selection of a primary account is received from a user of the mobile device, and the mobile device automatically identifies a product type of the primary payment account. The mobile device selects and transmits a proxy payment account identifier having a product type equivalent to the product type of the primary payment account to the point of sale for use in the payment transaction. The point of sale causes a first payment authorization request message to be routed to an issuer of the proxy payment account.

Abstract: A system for tracking brand interactions is provided. The system includes a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive information defining a plurality of brand interactions, receive a first indication of a first interaction defined within the plurality of brand interactions from a first source system, receive a second indication of a second interaction defined within the plurality of brand interactions from a second source system different from the first source system, and record an association between the brand, the first interaction, the second interaction and the brand enthusiast.

Abstract: A system and method is presented for product substantiation and promotion redemption. A purchased product list is transmitted from a retail store system to a promotion analysis server along with a user identifier. The promotion analysis server identifies promotions available to the user, and then considers whether the benefits under the promotions are still available to the user. Discounts for available promotions related to the purchased product list are calculated and transmitted to the retail store system for deduction from the transactions. A promotion product filter can be provided that filters the purchased product list before transmittal. The promotion product filter can include promotions from a plurality of programs.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for managing traffic, such as road traffic. When a traffic authority indicates a desire to reduce load on a route or within a particular geographic zone, an offer is provided to a group of one or more users. The offer is indicative of a reward provided to the users in return for avoiding the route during a specified time window. If a user accepts the offer, movement of the user is monitored during the specified time window to verify that the user avoided the route, in which case the reward is provided to the user. If an insufficient number of offers are accepted (e.g., to achieve a desired load reduction), the offer communicated to the users is adjusted (e.g., to increase an incentive for users to accept the offer). Outstanding offers are revoked once a sufficient number of offers are accepted (e.g., to achieve the desired load reduction).

Abstract: The present invention relates to certain methods and systems for promoting the sale of goods and services. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, such methods generally comprise the steps of (1) selling a first good or service to a customer for a discounted price that is less than a standard price, (2) establishing a sales goal (which represents an amount of desired sales of a second good or service to customers during a promotional period), and (3) issuing a credit to, or receiving a payment from, each participating customer based on a level of success achieved towards the sales goal. The invention provides that the extent to which the sales goal is achieved depends on the aggregate sales of the second good or service to the public at large, and is not dependent upon the sales or activity of any single customer.

Abstract: A method of using rules to execute periodic allocations of funds in a hierarchal accounting structure may include receiving an allocation rule, comprising a source account, a rule for determining a first amount, a parent account, and an allocation basis; accessing a multidimensional data cube comprising a hierarchal arrangement and aggregated balances for each level of the hierarchal arrangement; generating an allocation scenario by allocating the first amount to the aggregated balances for the one or more child accounts according to the allocation rule; generating one or more accounting journal entries corresponding to the allocation scenario; posting the one or more accounting journal entries to a general ledger associated with a relational database; and updating, using the relational database, the multidimensional data cube to reflect the allocation scenario.

Abstract: A system is provided for offer redemption of a retailer. A service provider includes one or more servers with engines and attached storage. The service provider is configured to be in communication with a mobile application running on a user mobile device of a user. The service provider is configured to be in communication with an advertiser and the retailer. The service provider is coupled to one or more processors with logic that enable an advertiser to create an offer campaign with details of the offer campaign stored in the storage. The details including at least one of, offer distribution rules and offer redemption rules. The one or more processors review transaction line items of the offer and making a determination to push or not push the offer redemption to a retailer check-out system.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining, by a coupon distributor, a value for a coupon of a product or service that will be provided by a coupon provider. The coupon provider provides, to the coupon distributor, one or both of a budget value that indicates an amount the coupon provider is willing to pay the coupon distributor for distributing the coupon, and a redemption rate that indicates one or more target redemption rates. The coupon provider uses a coupon value equation to calculate the coupon value based on a budget value and a redemption rate. The coupon provider might estimate that no coupon value will allow the coupon provider to stay within the budget and ensure that the actual redemption rate will be close to a particular redemption rate, which may or may not be specified by the coupon distributor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for targeted distribution and merchandising, wherein airlines can target travelers with group coupons or vouchers redeemable at a plurality of restaurants in or near the destination city of the traveler.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining, by a coupon distributor, a value for a coupon of a product or service that will be provided by a coupon provider. The coupon provider provides, to the coupon distributor, one or both of a budget value that indicates an amount the coupon provider is willing to pay the coupon distributor for distributing the coupon, and a redemption rate that indicates one or more target redemption rates. The coupon provider uses a coupon value equation to calculate the coupon value based on a budget value and a redemption rate. The coupon provider might estimate that no coupon value will allow the coupon provider to stay within the budget and ensure that the actual redemption rate will be close to a particular redemption rate, which may or may not be specified by the coupon distributor.

Abstract: A flexible spending account system can be implemented according to one embodiment of the invention so as to automatically substantiate purchases made at a retailer merchant. For example, according to one embodiment of the invention, a method of authorizing products for purchase can be implemented by determining via a computer that a product requested for purchase at a point of sale by a consumer matches a qualified product category under the flexible spending account, sending an authorization request message for requesting use of said flexible spending account of said consumer, wherein said authorization request message comprises a total purchase amount field and a first qualified amount field for a first type of qualified items.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for enabling customers to generate promotions. A specification of a promotion is obtained from a user. The promotion provides an incentive for ordering one or more items from a merchant. An electronic commerce application of the merchant is configured to offer the promotion. An account associated with the user is maintained such that a promotion expense is debited from the account relative to a number of orders to which the incentive is applied.

Abstract: An engagement reward and redemption system is disclosed. Within the platform, consumers, entities and processes interact with an engagement management system to manage transactions, compensation events, consumer profiles, etc.

Abstract: A campaign offers and rewards system is provided. A receipt intelligence engine includes receipt processing that in operation extracts information about items purchased based on an image of a receipt from at least one of a shopping trip and an electronic receipt from an online or offline transaction. An analytics engine includes data intelligence coupled to the receipt processing and performs analysis of the receipt. In response to processing and analysis, an offer is then sold.

Abstract: A campaign offers and rewards system includes an offer serving engine that provides offers or rewards. An analytics engine, with data intelligence, identifies receipt line items and ties the line items, including uniform price code (“UPC”), stock keeping unit (“SKU”) or product short name from different receipts to create a list of products and services not matched to advertisers. A redemption engine is in communication with a database that includes a reward budget. The redemption engine assists in controlling the redemption of rewards in view of the reward budget and in response to a communication from the analytics engine.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining, by a coupon distributor, a value for a coupon of a product or service that will be provided by a coupon provider. The coupon provider provides, to the coupon distributor, one or both of a budget value that indicates an amount the coupon provider is willing to pay the coupon distributor for distributing the coupon, and a redemption rate that indicates one or more target redemption rates. The coupon provider uses a coupon value equation to calculate the coupon value based on a budget value and a redemption rate. The coupon provider might estimate that no coupon value will allow the coupon provider to stay within the budget and ensure that the actual redemption rate will be close to a particular redemption rate, which may or may not be specified by the coupon distributor.

Abstract: A campaign offers and rewards system includes a campaign reward engine and a memory that stores offer reward data. An analytics engine predicts a probability that a user will redeem a given offer and estimates a reward the user will be owed when it redeems the offer and calculates an expected amount of the campaign's budget that will be consumed if the user is presented with that offer.

Abstract: An enhanced rewards server may analyze the progress of an individual, group, and/or organization towards a financial goal and may reward the individual, group, and/or organization once the goal has been achieved. The enhanced rewards server may analyze various pieces of information, including transaction data related to credit cards and bank accounts, to determine whether the individual, group, and/or organization is making progress towards the financial goal. In addition, the rewards server may consider progress evaluations made by a social network associated with the individual, group, and/or organization in deciding whether or not a reward should be transmitted.

Abstract: An advertising system and method for providing a benefit to an advertiser offering cash back rewards for a transaction with a user is provided. The advertising system may include an advertisement registration information receiving unit configured to receive advertisement registration information of an advertisement, a benefit condition verifying unit configured to verify whether the advertisement meets a determined advertiser benefit condition based on the advertisement registration information, and a benefit providing unit configured to provide an advertiser benefit when the advertisement meets the advertiser benefit condition.

Abstract: A system and method of providing online location-based time-sensitive deals are proposed. An online retailer accepts an instant deal submitted by a merchant. The instant deal is a discounted service provided by the merchant at a geographic location. The instant deal is approved only if the merchant is qualified and if the deal is qualified based on a set of pre-configured rules. The online retailer advertises a deal coupon for the discounted service during a limited time for a limited quantity to consumers located near the geographic location. In one example, the geographic location is defined by a business district or a landmark. When a buyer places a purchase order, the deal coupon is delivered to the buyer. The deal coupon is redeemable during a limited time without additional reservation. If the buyer does not redeem the coupon within the limited time, the purchase amount is automatically refunded.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for implementing personalized targeting via electronic coupons, providing aggregate cap control of electronic coupons, implementing viral marketing using electronic coupons, and performing real time processing of electronic coupons.

Abstract: A method for providing a personalized rewards program for slot machine players may involve monitoring activity of slot machine players on one or more slot machines during a reward event. The method may also involve determining reward credits to be provided to the slot machine players. The reward credits that are provided to a player may depend on that player's level of play during the reward event. The method may also involve distributing the reward credits to the slot machine players.

Abstract: A method and system of distributing a coupon in response to a request from a user using a computer network is disclosed. A database is maintained having one or more coupon records associated with one or more advertisers, wherein each coupon record is associated with an advertiser credit account. A coupon request is received from an indicating user for a coupon associated with a coupon record in the database via the computer network. The system provides to the indicating user a coupon corresponding to the coupon request via the computer network. The system subtracts a coupon distribution amount from the advertiser credit account associated with the coupon provided. The system may optionally subtract a coupon redemption amount from the advertiser credit account associated with the coupon when the coupon is redeemed or after the coupon is redeemed.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilization of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for selecting advertisements for dissemination over a network are disclosed. In one embodiment, an advertisement service stores information indicative of offers from merchants, including information indicating an amount of revenue that the offering merchant would be willing to share with the advertisement service if a consumer consummates a transaction with the merchant based on the good or service advertised in the offer. The service computes predicted conversion rates for these offers, and uses the predicted conversion rates and the revenue sharing information to select an advertisement for dissemination according to which advertisement is expected to generate the greatest amount of revenue for the advertisement service.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a digital coupon system. Digital coupons can be defined by a coupon specification received from a coupon issuer. Digital coupons can be issued to users and redeemed with third party retailer sites and/or point of sale systems. A coupon clearing house application can manage distribution, redemption, reimbursement of retailers and invoicing of coupon issuers.

Abstract: In a charging fee billing system according to the invention, a preferential card having preferential information stored thereon is issued, the preferential information allowing for an investor having borne costs required for power storage facilities for use in a commercial power system to receive a discount for electricity fees involved in the charging of an electric automobile. When charging is performed for an electric automobile that is equipped with a preferential card, a charging unit set up at a charging stand acquires preferential information from the preferential card. The charging unit bills a charging fee to which a preferential rate has been applied based on the preferential information acquired from the preferential card.

Abstract: Information about an environmental condition of a remote device is received, the environmental condition being determined based on a signal output from a sensor of the remote device or a sensor coupled to the remote device. An advertisement is identified based on the environmental condition, and the advertisement is provided to the remote device.

Abstract: An improved system and method is provided for using sampling for scheduling advertisements in an online auction with budget and time constraints. A multi-armed bandit engine may be provided for sampling new advertisements by allocating advertisements for web page placements of equal quality and optimizing payments to maximize the welfare of the advertisers while remaining within advertiser's budget and time constraints. Advertisers may report their private information including arrival time, departure time, value per click, and budget. And the multi-armed bandit mechanism may approximate the maximal welfare that may be achieved under budget and time constraints by bounding the possible gain from any possible lie an advertiser might submit in reporting private information. Advertisers departing from the online auction may be charged using a payment method that may provide truthful guarantees on budget, arrivals, departures, and valuations for a budget-constrained online auction.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments relating to a self-service portal for coupon implementation in association with an electronic commerce system. Coupon campaigns are implemented in a computing device for a plurality of vendors in association with the electronic commerce system. Each of the coupon campaigns comprises one or more digital coupons. An automated submission of each of the campaigns is facilitated in the computing device from respective ones of the vendors through a self-service portal. Vendor control is facilitated through the self-service portal as to whether the digital coupons associated with a respective one of the campaigns are activated to be applied to a purchase of an item through the electronic commerce system.

Abstract: A discount may be earned in exchange for experiencing an advertisement. In an example embodiment, a method includes causing information corresponding to a product to be presented. An option to experience an advertisement is also presented. Further, a discount indicator is caused to be presented. The discount indicator indicates that selecting the option enables a discount on the product to be acquired. In another example embodiment, a method includes providing an option to experience an advertisement in exchange for a discount on a product. In response to a user selecting the option to experience the advertisement, the advertisement is presented to the user. After the advertisement has been presented, the discount on the product is awarded to the user.

Abstract: For several accounts receivable, a reward account is determined as the account that receives the largest deposit to the loyalty reward balance thereof by a payment of the account receivable. For each reward account, a deficient reward account is found if the currency balance for the reward account is not sufficient for the payment of the account payable. For each deficiency reward account, if identified accounts receivables can be deposited such that the currency balance thereof will be sufficient to pay the account payable, then payments are made of: (i) the identified accounts receivables as corresponding deposits to the currency balance of the deficiency reward account such that the currency balance thereof is sufficient for the payment of the account payable; and (ii) the account payable by a withdrawal from the currency balance of the deficiency reward account.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method of tracking purchases for a consumer using a unique identifier associated with the consumer. The method includes receiving first itemized data and the unique identifier from a first merchant system of a first merchant, where the first itemized data includes each item purchased in a first transaction associated with the consumer. The method further includes receiving second itemized data and the unique identifier from a second merchant system of a second merchant, where the second itemized data includes each item purchased in a second transaction associated with the consumer. The method further includes storing the first itemized data and the second itemized data based on the unique identifier to obtain aggregated itemized data, where the aggregated itemized data is categorized at an item level.

Abstract: A conditional e-coupon distribution method distributes e-coupons predefined by sellers to mobile users only if the number of mobile users requesting such e-coupons equals or exceeds a threshold. The method receives a request to browse e-coupons from a mobile user. The method receives the location of the mobile user and determines a plurality of sellers local to the mobile electronic device and a plurality of corresponding e-coupons available from the local sellers. The method receives a request for a particular e-coupon from a seller and authorizes the provision of said e-coupon to the mobile user. At the end of a processing cycle, the mobile user receives the requested e-coupon if all conditions, such as a period of time and threshold, have been met. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein allows for storage of the method.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilization of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: The WEB Site Valuation System identifies each user's personal attribution of value to a selected WEB site. The attribution is constrained by assigning each user a predetermined number of assignable credits/tokens from which the user can draw to “deposit” or “withdraw” previously deposited credits in the “account” of a WEB site. The tally of credits for each WEB site is then a direct indication of the value provided to users. This ultimately creates a token economy for and within the WEB, based upon user opinion of the value of WEB sites. The dynamic mapping and correlation of these value indications with the users' characteristics provides analytical data that can be used to determine the relevance of the WEB site to various socio-demographic populations, as well as the response of the users to changes in the WEB site, market forces, and/or the entire community of WEB sites.