Loyalty program incentive determination

US8620738B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Visa U.S.A. Inc. · US

Inventors

• Edward W. Fordyce, III · Sedalia, US
• Karteek Hasmukh Patel · San Jose, US
• David Chauncey Shepard · Novato, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 30, 2007
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2013
• Expiry date: May 27, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0238
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The eligibility of an transaction between a consumer and a merchant toward an incentive for a loyalty program is determined using a globally unique identifier (GUID) matching algorithm. Information characterizing the transaction may include a GUID for the merchant and a GUID for an account of the consumer on which the transaction is payable. The GUIDs are each matched against GUIDs of merchants and accounts stored in a database, some of which are distinguished as loyalty program participants. When both the GUID for the merchant and the GUID for the account match with respective GUIDs in the database that are distinguished as loyalty program participants, the transaction is eligible toward the incentive.