Granted Patent B2

US 11,113,712 · App. 16/254,549 · Granted Sep 7, 2021

Inventor: Ehsan Hoque (Pleasanton, CA)

Assignee: Quotient Technology Inc.

G06Q30/0234G06Q20/407G06Q30/0226

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A computer-implemented method for improving computer processing efficiency using a distributed system to transfer, store, monitor, and apply a set of rules to process rebates using contextual transaction data and post-sale rebate criteria to automatically determine rebate eligibility and deliver refunds, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer that is used by multiple retailers, each of which operates a different retail data center comprising one or more computing devices and one or more databases that collectively operate as a retail server, each retail data center being communicatively coupled to one or more brick-and-mortar stores and/or online stores, and independent of a request for an offer recommendation, contextual transaction data via an application programming interface (API) from a retailer terminal in real time with respect to a transaction at the terminal, the contextual transaction data comprising at least basket-level transaction details comprising universal product codes (UPCs) and quantities purchased;

receiving, at the server computer from a transaction aggregator via APIs of the transaction aggregators, the contextual transaction data comprising historical transaction records that were generated for previous transactions with the multiple retailers;

receiving, at a product data store that is communicatively coupled to the server computer, Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and/or stock-keeping unit (SKU) numbers and descriptions of products from the multiple retailers in periodic batch synchronizations of retailer product databases and from the historical transaction records;

receiving, at the server computer, offer activation request data, the offer activation request data including a loyalty card number and an identification of a digital offer, the digital offer associated with a discount amount, the digital offer being associated with digital metadata specifying one or more post-sale product rebate availability criteria comprising that a post-sale product rebate is available for the digital offer during a specified time frame and/or for certain geographic locations;

querying, by the server computer, a digital data repository to seek a data record matching the loyalty card number;

in response to determining that the data repository has a record matching the loyalty card number, electronically activating the digital offer associated with the identification of the digital offer and associating the activated digital offer with the loyalty card number in the digital data repository;

determining, based on the contextual transaction data and based on querying the product data store, that a consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number purchased a product associated with the activated digital offer and identified in the product data store;

determining, by the server computer, that a post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number based on the digital metadata and the post-sale product rebate availability criteria, the post-sale rebate being a rebate that is available for the consumer entity after the consumer entity has purchased the product associated with the activated digital offer;

in response to determining that the post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity after the purchase of the product, generating, by the server computer, a digital payment file based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer, the digital payment file specifying a refund amount to be electronically transmitted to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount resulting after the purchase of the product associated with the activated digital offer; and

using the server computer, transmitting the digital payment file to a third-party payment system that causes the refund amount specified in the digital payment file and resulting after the purchase of the particular product to be transmitted electronically to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount being transmitted automatically to the consumer entity without an explicit input from the consumer entity to avail the post-sale product rebate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contextual transaction data further comprises at least one or more of a transaction amount, at least a portion of a credit card number that was used, a payment identifier that identifies a form of payment that was used, a secure payment hash key, an identifier of a data processing system, an identifier of a merchant or retailer facility, a time or date when a transaction took place a geolocation, geographic area, or location such as a city, state, county, or municipality where a transaction took place, one or more offers that were activated or redeemed, a customer name, a customer identification, an item identification, an item category information, a phone number, a personal identifier number (PIN), a loyalty card number, a device identifier, or a transaction number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refund amount is based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the third-party payment system, an indication that the refund amount was successfully delivered to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card.

5. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors of a server computer as part of a distributed system to transfer, store, monitor, and apply a set of rules to process rebates using contextual transaction data and post-sale rebate criteria to automatically determine rebate eligibility and deliver refunds cause:

receiving, at the server computer that is used by multiple retailers, each of which operates a different retail data center comprising one or more computing devices and one or more databases that collectively operate as a retail server, each retail data center being communicatively coupled to one or more brick-and-mortar stores and/or online stores, and independent of a request for an offer recommendation, contextual transaction data via an application programming interface (API) from a retailer terminal in real time with respect to a transaction at the terminal, the contextual transaction data comprising at least basket-level transaction details comprising universal product codes (UPCs) and quantities purchased;

receiving, at the server computer from a transaction aggregator via APIs of the transaction aggregators, the contextual transaction data comprising historical transaction records that were generated for previous transactions with the multiple retailers;

receiving, at a product data store that is communicatively coupled to the server computer, Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and/or stock-keeping unit (SKU) numbers and descriptions of products from the multiple retailers in periodic batch synchronizations of retailer product databases and from the historical transaction records;

receiving, at the server computer, offer activation request data, the offer activation request data including a loyalty card number and an identification of a digital offer, the digital offer associated with a discount amount, the digital offer being associated with digital metadata specifying one or more post-sale product rebate availability criteria comprising that a post-sale product rebate is available for the digital offer during a specified time frame and/or for certain geographic locations;

querying, by the server computer, a digital data repository to seek a data record matching the loyalty card number;

in response to determining that the data repository has a record matching the loyalty card number, electronically activating the digital offer associated with the identification of the digital offer and associating the activated digital offer with the loyalty card number in the digital data repository;

determining, based on the contextual transaction data and based on querying the product data store, that a consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number purchased a product associated with the activated digital offer and identified in the product data store;

determining, by the server computer, that a post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number based on the digital metadata and the post-sale product rebate availability criteria, the post-sale rebate being a rebate that is available for the consumer entity after the consumer entity has purchased the product associated with the activated digital offer;

in response to determining that the post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity after the purchase of the product, generating, by the server computer, a digital payment file based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer, the digital payment file specifying a refund amount to be electronically transmitted to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount resulting after the purchase of the product associated with the activated digital offer; and

using the server computer, transmitting the digital payment file to a third-party payment system that causes the refund amount specified in the digital payment file and resulting after the purchase of the particular product to be transmitted electronically to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount is transmitted automatically to the consumer entity without an explicit input from the consumer entity to avail the post-sale product rebate.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5 , wherein the contextual transaction data comprises at least one or more of a transaction amount, at least a portion of a credit card number that was used, a payment identifier that identifies a form of payment that was used, a secure payment hash key, an identifier of a data processing system, an identifier of a merchant or retailer facility, a time or date when a transaction took place a geolocation, geographic area, or location such as a city, state, county, or municipality where a transaction took place, one or more offers that were activated or redeemed, a customer name, a customer identification, an item identification, an item category information, a phone number, a personal identifier number (PIN), a loyalty card number, a device identifier, or a transaction number.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5 , wherein the refund amount is based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5 , further comprising receiving, from the third-party payment system, an indication that the refund amount was successfully delivered to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card.

9. A computer system of a distributed system to transfer, store, monitor, and apply a set of rules to process rebates using contextual transaction data and post-sale rebate criteria to automatically determine rebate eligibility and deliver refunds, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors of a server computing device, cause:

receiving, at a server computer that is used by multiple retailers, each of which operates a different retail data center comprising one or more computing devices and one or more databases that collectively operate as a retail server, each retail data center being communicatively coupled to one or more brick-and-mortar stores and/or online stores, and independent of a request for an offer recommendation, contextual transaction data via an application programming interface (API) from a retailer terminal in real time with respect to a transaction at the terminal, the contextual transaction data comprising at least basket-level transaction details comprising universal product codes (UPCs) and quantities purchased;

receiving, at the server computer from a transaction aggregator via APIs of the transaction aggregators, the contextual transaction data comprising historical transaction records that were generated for previous transactions with the multiple retailers;

receiving, at a product data store that is communicatively coupled to the server computer, Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and/or stock-keeping unit (SKU) numbers and descriptions of products from the multiple retailers in periodic batch synchronizations of retailer product databases and from the historical transaction records;

receiving, at the server computer, offer activation request data, the offer activation request data including a loyalty card number and an identification of a digital offer, the digital offer associated with a discount amount, the digital offer being associated with digital metadata specifying one or more post-sale product rebate availability criteria comprising that a post-sale product rebate is available for the digital offer during a specified time frame and/or for certain geographic locations;

querying, by the server computer, a digital data repository to seek a data record matching the loyalty card number;

in response to determining that the data repository has a record matching the loyalty card number, electronically activating the digital offer associated with the identification of the digital offer and associating the activated digital offer with the loyalty card number in the digital data repository;

determining, based on the contextual transaction data and based on querying the product data store, that a consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number purchased a product associated with the activated digital offer and identified in the product data store;

determining, by the server computer, that a post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card number based on the digital metadata and the post-sale product rebate availability criteria, the post-sale rebate being a rebate that is available for the consumer entity after the consumer entity has purchased the product associated with the activated digital offer;

in response to determining that the post-sale product rebate is available for the consumer entity after the purchase of the product, generating, by the server computer, a digital payment file based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer, the digital payment file specifying a refund amount to be electronically transmitted to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount resulting after the purchase of the product associated with the activated digital offer; and

using the server computer, transmitting the digital payment file to a third-party payment system that causes the refund amount specified in the digital payment file and resulting after the purchase of the particular product to be transmitted electronically to the consumer entity associated with the loyalty card, the refund amount being transmitted automatically to the consumer entity without an explicit input from the consumer entity to avail the post-sale product rebate.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the contextual transaction data comprises at least one or more of a transaction amount, at least a portion of a credit card number that was used, a payment identifier that identifies a form of payment that was used, a secure payment hash key, an identifier of a data processing system, an identifier of a merchant or retailer facility, a time or date when a transaction took place a geolocation, geographic area, or location such as a city, state, county, or municipality where a transaction took place, one or more offers that were activated or redeemed, a customer name, a customer identification, an item identification, an item category information, a phone number, a personal identifier number (PIN), a loyalty card number, a device identifier, or a transaction number.

11. The computer system of claim 9 ,

wherein the refund amount is based on the discount amount associated with the activated digital offer.

Assignments (6)