IP Library Granted Patent US 8,326,642
Granted Patent B2
US 8,326,642 · App. 10/663,509 · Granted Dec 4, 2012

Electronic receipt management

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,326,642
App. No.
10/663,509
Granted
Dec 4, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A receipt management system, method and article of manufacture. The article of manufacture can include a storage medium configured to store receipt data from multiple disparate vendors, communications logic for establishing a communicative link between the system and receipt data processing logic disposed within individual ones of the multiple disparate vendors, and a receipt management processor programmed to moderate access to the storage medium. Importantly, the storage medium can be a portable mass storage device. Notably, each of the storage medium, communications logic and receipt management processor can be disposed in a pervasive device, or in a personal article.

Claims (16)

1. A method for electronic receipt management comprising the steps of:

establishing a communicative link between a data store of electronic receipts from multiple disparate vendors, and an individual one of said multiple disparate vendors;

authenticating said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors;

locating a specific electronic receipt stored within said data store which corresponds to an identifier provided by said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors; and,

transmitting said located specific electronic receipt to said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors over said established communicative link.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of configuring a wireless communications link with said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of configuring a wirebound communications link with said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of inserting a portable storage medium containing said data store into a reader coupled to said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

5. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer-readable instructions for electronic receipt management, the computer-readable instructions for causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

establishing a communicative link between a data store of electronic receipts from multiple disparate vendors, and an individual one of said multiple disparate vendors;

authenticating said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors;

locating a specific electronic receipt stored within said data store which corresponds to an identifier provided by said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors; and,

transmitting said located specific electronic receipt to said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors over said established communicative link.

6. The machine readable storage of claim 5 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of configuring a wireless communications link with said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

7. The machine readable storage of claim 5 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of configuring a wirebound communications link with said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

8. The machine readable storage of claim 5 , wherein said establishing step comprises the step of inserting a portable storage medium containing said data store into a reader coupled to said individual one of said multiple disparate vendors.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2003
From: DOYLE, RONALD P.; DOYLE, SUSAN R.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014508/0050 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050060437A1 · Mar 17, 2005