Visa U.s.a. Inc.

Target Brands, Inc.

Marc R Black

James L Mazour

Michael D Salters

Bryan Shimko

James G Gordon

Kim Madore

Glenda L Berg

Paul Spaeth

Douglas Jones

Loc Duc Nguyen

Liane Redford

Rajkumar Viswanathan

Shannon L Warner

Ann Elizabeth Bailey

Michael T Greeder

Lisa Mellas

Philippe Levy

Liz Toibero

Benjamin Garton

Systems and methods for providing a loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using smart card technology are provided. A loyalty system allows a user to systematically search, identify, store, and redeem electronic coupons and rebates associated with products from a large number of providers and manufactures. The loyalty system also integrates the activities associated with the user incentive program (e.g., coupon collection, storage, and redemption, etc.), with existing payment methods (e.g., charging a credit card, etc.) using smart card technology. Thus, the loyalty system allows the user to obtain savings and otherwise participate in the user incentive program without adding time consuming and tedious processing that is normally associated with coupon and rebate programs.

Identifying and dispensing special offers based on current and/or past transactions

Techniques for changing a participation status in a loyalty program for a portable device are provided. The techniques include receiving an indication to change the participation status in the loyalty program from a first status to a second status. A parameter is modified in the portable device where the modification of the parameter corresponds to a change in the participation status in the loyalty program from the first status to the second status.

Opt-in/opt-out in loyalty system

Systems and methods for providing a user incentive program using circuit chip technology

Systems and methods for providing a user incentive program using smart card technology

A system for managing token image replacement is provided. The system includes a remote server, a token acceptance device, such as a personal computer (PC), connected to the remote server, a token, such as a phone, that can be read by the PC, and a token image server. Using application logic and rules, the remote server is able to read the token image on the token and determine if the image on the phone needs to be updated. The remote server forwards a backup token image to the PC which, in turn, writes the backup token image including transaction information to the phone. Once the backup token image is written onto the phone, subsequent interactions with the system would not initiate an update.

Method and system for managing loyalty program information on a phone

A system for facilitating image management for portable devices, which includes a host configured to maintain information relating to a first portable device and a second portable device and an interface device configured to communicate with the host and the portable devices. The interface device includes control logic configured to: determine whether the first portable device is valid for image synchronization using information provided by the host in order to record an image of the first portable device, determine whether the second portable device is valid for image synchronization in order to download an image of the first portable device to the second portable device. The interface device further includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device is valid for image replacement using information provided by the host so as to retrieve an image of the first portable device and download the retrieved image to the second portable device. The interface device also includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device includes additional information that is not included in the image of the first portable device in order to concatenate the additional information with the image of the first portable device, and download the concatenated additional information and image of the first portable device onto the second portable device.

Method and system for providing interactive cardholder rewards image replacement

A system having a host configured to maintain information relating to a first portable device and a second portable device and an interface device configured to communicate with the host and the first and second portable devices. The interface is configured to determine whether the first portable device is valid for image synchronization for recording an image of the first portable device, determine whether the second portable device is valid for image synchronization so as to download an image of the first portable device to the second portable device. The interface is further configured to determine whether the second portable device is valid for image replacement using information provided by the host for retrieving an image of the first portable device and download the retrieved image to the second portable device. The interface device also includes control logic configured to determine whether the second portable device includes additional information that is not included in the image of the first portable device for concatenating the additional information with the image of the first portable device, and download the concatenated additional information and image of the first portable device onto the second portable device. The interface device concatenates the additional information and the image of the first portable device based on a set of conflict resolution rules.

Method and system including phone with rewards image

A system for managing token image replacement is provided. The system includes a remote server, a personal computer (PC) connected to the remote server, a smartcard that can be read by the PC, and a card image server. Using application logic and rules, the remote server is able to read the card image on the smartcard and determine if the card image on the smartcard needs to be updated. If an indicator on the smartcard is set to 'update', the remote server then retrieves a backup card image that corresponds to the card from the card image server. The remote server forwards the backup card image to the PC which, in turn, writes the backup card image including transaction information to the smartcard. Once the backup card image is written onto the smartcard, the indicator in the smartcard is then reset to ensure that subsequent interactions with the system would not initiate an update.

Method and system for managing token image replacement

A system for facilitating image management for portable devices is disclosed. The system includes a host configured to maintain information relating to a first portable device and a second portable device and an interface device configured to communicate with the host and the first and second portable devices. The interface device includes control logic configured to: determine whether the first portable device is valid for image synchronization using information provided by the host; and if it is determined that the first portable device is valid for image synchronization, record an image of the first portable device, determine whether the second portable device is valid for image synchronization, and download an image of the first portable device to the second portable device if it is determined that the second portable device is valid for image synchronization. The interface device further includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device is valid for image replacement using information provided by the host, and if it is determined that the second portable device is valid for image replacement, retrieve an image of the first portable device and download the retrieved image to the second portable device. The interface device also includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device includes additional information that is not included in the image of the first portable device, and if it is determined that the second portable device includes the additional information, concatenate the additional information with the image of the first portable device, and download the concatenated additional information and image of the first portable device onto the second portable device. The interface device concatenates the additional information and the image of the first portable device based on a set of conflict resolution rules.

A system for facilitating image management for portable devices includes a host configured to maintain information relating to a first portable device, and a second portable device and an interface device configured to communicate with the host and the first and second portable devices. The interface device includes control logic configured to: determine whether the first portable device is valid for image synchronization using information provided by the host; and if it is determined that the first portable device is valid for image synchronization, record an image of the first portable device, determine whether the second portable device is valid for image synchronization, and download an image of the first portable device to the second portable device if it is determined that the second portable device is valid for image synchronization. The interface device further includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device is valid for image replacement using information provided by the host, and if it is determined that the second portable device is valid for image replacement, retrieve an image of the first portable device and download the retrieved image to the second portable device. The interface device also includes control logic configured to: determine whether the second portable device includes additional information that is not included in the image of the first portable device, and if it is determined that the second portable device includes the additional information, concatenate the additional information with the image of the first portable device, and download the concatenated additional information and image of the first portable device onto the second portable device. The interface device concatenates the additional information and the image of the first portable device based on a set of conflict resolution rules.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Marc R Black