MXPA99005064A - In-store points redemption system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer implemented consumer transaction point accumulation system in which a consumer earns and accumulates points immediately for immediate use during transactions at participating retailer outlets, wherein at each transaction, a customer's identification number is transmitted to a host data base which stores customer records including a customer balances of points accumulated to date. The system processing each consumer transaction during the consumer visit to the retailer outlet to determine points awarded for each transaction and to determine whether the item purchased is a redeemable item for which points may be redeemed for a reduction of the price of the redeemable item. The system updating said customer records immediately by adding points awarded or subtracting points redeemed from the customer balance of transaction points.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF REIMBURSEMENT OF POINTS IN WAREHOUSE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a system used in conjunction with point-of-sale computer systems of the type used in retail stores, to carry out sales transactions, including payment by electronic authorization. More specifically, the invention provides a method and apparatus for improving a retail point-of-sale system, with the ability to assist in establishing customer loyalty to the retailer and manufacturers. Loyalty is established through the provision to each client of points for transactions in specific locations of the retailers, which can be reimbursed to receive reductions in selected items, or for the purchase of the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traditionally, in a retail environment, retailers and manufacturers Ref, 30354 they establish the loyalty of the client towards articles and services offered for sale through advertisements and coupons. Many manufacturers distribute coupons for their products, either through the mail, by printing them in newspapers or magazines, or by attaching them in packages of similar or related products. Currently, there are point of sale systems that help manufacturers to distribute coupons when printing ree coupons in the point of sale terminal for immediate distribution to the customer. These systems are specifically designed to place discount coupons for selected products in the hands of a customer who uses a product from * the competition. One problem with this system is that it does not eliminate the problem that an individual must have coupons on their person when they visit a retail store, in order to receive the proposed benefit. For this reason, individuals who are not avid collectors of coupons will not see the value in this system because this system still requires the individual to consciously buy with the coupons in mind in order to receive a benefit. There will not be a difference to the average customer who does not normally use coupons if the coupons are obtained in the point-of-sale device after a transaction or are collected from bulk mail or from the newspaper. In general, coupons motivate the purchase of a product and can establish loyalty to manufacturers. However, fidelity to retailers is not built through the use of coupons. There is a need for a system that can establish customer loyalty for retailers. There is also a need for a system that can establish loyalty of the average customer who is not an avid collector of coupons or does not have coupons on his person at the time of making purchases. This system will need to provide other incentives in association with the items that are purchased as well as other types of products and services. Although there are also existing point-of-sale systems that help retailers with customer loyalty in a non-coupon environment, there are problems with these systems. This system implements a magnetic card and card reader in the point of sale system. In this system, retailers provide their customers with magnetic strip account cards that will be presented at the point of sale to receive a discount determined by the retailer on items and services sold by the retailer. In this system, when making a purchase, the customer will get a discount when receiving a cash value equal to the proportion of the purchase amount. The cash value is not given directly to the customer but is added to an existing cash value stored in the customer's account that can only have access at established intervals. The problem with this system is that it is very restrictive since it does not allow the client to have immediate access to the discount. In addition, a customer can not know their cash value account after several purchases that have been made at different participating retailers (for example, the system does not provide immediate updates of the client's account value at the point of sale). Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows a client to obtain incentives and report these incentives, and use them immediately, during the same transaction in which they were earned. The system must allow a customer to report to the point-of-sale device immediately after each transaction of their incentives earned and used in that transaction. The system must also be informed to the customer of its new unused, accumulated incentives, even if there are multiple transactions in multiple retail stores on the same day.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a system of points accumulation per transaction, of the consumer, implemented by computer, in which a consumer earns points immediately for transactions in the participating stores of the retailers. The points earned can be used to immediately reduce the price of the selected items purchased by a consumer. A system that implements the principles of the present invention is comprised of a warehouse system having a local processor, local data storage electrically coupled to the local processor, and a data entry means electrically coupled to the local processor to receive a number of data. consumer account, and a local communicator electrically coupled to the local processor to transmit requests for data from the account to the consumer. The system further includes a host system having a host processor, a host database electrically coupled to the host processor and a guest communicator electrically coupled to the host processor to receive requests for consumer account data from the local processor through the communicator local. The guest database includes a plurality of consumer records and merchant records, wherein each consumer record includes the customer account data for each participating consumer. The guest communicator transmits the data of the consumer's account to the local processor of the system in storage that directs the consumer's account data transmitted to a visualization of the system in storage and to the storage of data, local to be stored. The local processor processes each customer transaction during the customer's visit to the retailer's store to determine if the points are to be awarded. The local processor immediately updates the total number of transaction points stored in the local data storage by adding any point granted to the client during its view to the retailer's store. The local processor finds out the data representing the total updated number of transaction points after data entry of the reimbursable items in the system to determine if the total number of points earned by the consumer is sufficiently high to allow a reduction of Immediate price in a reimbursable item. The system allows an immediate reduction of the purchase price of the reimbursable, purchased items and an immediate reduction in the number of points in the consumer's account balance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention can be more fully understood in consideration of the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in a part of this specification, and which constitute the same, in which: Figure 1 is a functional diagram illustrating the various functional blocks of a system reimbursement of points in storage according to the invention; Y Figures 2a, 2b and 2c with flow diagrams representing the logical flow of a warehouse reimbursement system in accordance with the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION System Overview The principles of the present invention provide a system of point accumulation by consumer transaction, electronic, online, implemented by computer in which a consumer earns points that are immediately reflected in a central location regardless of where the points are earned. The use of the invention provides a plurality of different retailers with the ability to develop customer loyalty (for example, a "loyalty program"). Supported by a network of non-retail retail partners, the use of the invention allows retailers to increase their revenues and profitability by helping in the retention of real buyers and acquiring new customers. The fidelity program implemented by a system of the preferred embodiment constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, takes place in retail stores. It is to be understood that retail stores are set up to include any establishment from which a consumer may purchase items or services, including warehouses, service establishments, catalog stores, and mail order homes. The system functionality in each retail store is implemented by the warehouse system controller, the point of sale device such as a cash register, or through a work desk service station. The service desk is where a client can enroll in the program, reimburse points for certificates, transfer points from one account to another, or has performed certain administrative functions. No registration period is required to participate in the loyalty program. Although a client may terminate an optional form of enrollment that is available at the location of the retailer. A point accrual card is issued, permanent to the client to open a point accumulation program account, customer's staff. Accounts are immediately opened automatically by the guest when the card is used for the first time in a point update transaction. The point accumulation card can be a card that has a magnetic strip of read only or bar code placed on the card. The bar code or magnetic strip includes the data that represents the account number of the clients that when they are entered make the system look for the period of accumulation of points of the client. The card number, which is preferably sixteen digits, and includes an ISO number (International Standards Organization) of six digits, persistent, and a check digit. In general, the program implemented with the system works as follows. Each time a customer purchases at a retailer's store, during the checkout or payment for purchased items, the customer's points accumulation card is passed or scanned through a magnetic card reader, or barcode scanner from the customer. point-of-sale device that is part of the system. The system reads the customer account number that is coded on the magnetic strip or barcode and sends a request for the recovery of the customer's points balance that is linked to the customer's account number. The system also includes the ability to handle the late filing of the card and an alternative identification, such as a credit card or driver's license number. If alternate identification is presented by the customer for a program transaction, in the form of a credit card in lieu of the program customer account card, the system will include a mechanism to identify the customer and the account number of the customer. client of the information of the credit card processed by the system, so that a request can be sent for the recovery of the balance of points of the client. One mechanism that can be used to identify the customer is to link the alternate identification (such as the credit card information) to the customer's primary account number, so that when the guest system processes the alternate identification sent by the customer's point of sale, the guest system can locate the customer's account through the link between the account number and the alternative identification, and return the primary account number to the point-of-sale (POS) device. After requesting the recovery of the client's points balance, the system recovers at least the accumulated points balance, client stream from a centralized host system database. The recovered data, which includes at least the accumulated points balance of the customer, is stored in the point of sale device in temporary storage and is transmitted in real time to the point of sale device. Customers can earn points based on the total pre-tax, non-exempt purchase at retailers' stores. Points that can be earned include "regular" points and "bonus" points. Any points won, regular or bonus, are added to the balance of current points of the client stored in the database of the host system, centralized, in real time. A customer can earn "regular" points based on the pre-tax dollar amount of the current sales transaction, less any article already exempt. The "bonus" points are extra points that can be earned by the customer in the purchase of specially promoted items throughout the retailer's store. Bonus points typically have a pre-established value, defined in the article stored in the main file of the article within the POS controller. For example, if a specific brand of a washing powder box has sixty-five points of bonuses attached to its main file, a customer will be awarded sixty-five points on the purchase of the item. Bonus points can also be awarded in a variable price scheme. An example of a pricing scheme of points, variable is in the context of items that have variable prices based on the amount purchased or the weight, such as fruits, vegetables and meats that can award fifty points for each pound of the purchased item . The points of - "bonus" can be granted by the retailer, manufacturer or the program coordinator. The amount of "regular" points that can be earned in a sales transaction is dependent on the dollar amount of the transaction, so the calculation of "regular" points can be distort on a sliding scale to favor customers who make purchases that total a greater amount in dollars. An example of the manner in which points are awarded is shown later in Table 1. Not all consumer products are eligible for point accumulation. For example, exempt articles such as tobacco and alcohol do not generate points when they are purchased. As shown in Table 1 below, one mode, the system is configured so that it has two "separation points" for the point calculations. A point of separation is the minimum purchase amount required to start earning points. The first point of separation in this modality is ten dollars ($ 10). The second point of separation, in this modality, is twenty-five dollars ($ 25). Twenty-five dollars ($ 25) is an amount just above the average transaction amount, current that triggers a higher point emission rate. All the amounts in cents are truncated when the points are calculated. Although transactions under ten dollars ($ 10.00) minimum are not eligible for regular points, bonus points are awarded for any of bonus points purchased even if the transaction amount is less than ten dollars ($ 10.00). At any given time, the average warehouse can present several hundred bonus items. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the number of points, the various points of separation and the bonus items are representative of a preferred embodiment of a system that implements the principles of the present invention. Other amounts of points, dollar amounts and products may be used and should not be considered as limitations of the present invention.

TABLE 1 Example The points are calculated based on the following criteria: The example shown in Table 1 illustrates the manner in which points are accumulated in the preferred embodiment. In the previous example, the customer's purchase amount must be at least ten dollars ($ 10) in order for a customer to earn any regular point. If the purchase price of All items purchased is greater than or equal to ten dollars ($ 10), the customer will earn five points for dollar amount purchased up to, but not including the second point in twenty-five dollars ($ 25). Once the total purchase value reaches twenty-five dollars ($ 25), in addition to the five points earned for each dollar between $ 10 and $ 25, the customer earns ten points for every dollar that starts with twenty-five dollars ($ 25). As shown in Table 1, if the amount you buy equals five dollars ($ 5.00), no points are awarded. If the purchase amount is at least equal to ten dollars ($ 10.00), five points are awarded. No points are awarded for purchases that are less than ten dollars. If the purchase amount is equal to fifteen dollars and twenty-one cents ($ 15.21), thirty (30) points are awarded; Five points are awarded for the first ten dollars ($ 10) and five points for each dollar above ten dollars ($ 10) for a total of 30 points. No points are awarded for twenty-one cents because all the amounts in cents are truncated when the points are calculated. If the purchase amount is equal to thirty dollars and ninety-nine cents ($ 30.99), one hundred thirty-five (135) points are awarded. Five points are awarded for the first ten dollars ($ 10) and for each dollar above ten dollars ($ 10) for a total of seventy-five points. The seventy-five points are characterized as the first points of separation. Because the total purchase amount is greater than twenty-five dollars ($ 25) the customer earns the second separation points which are then ten points for the first twenty-five dollars ($ 25) and for each dollar above the twenty-five dollars ( $ 25) for a total of 60 points. No points are awarded for ninety-nine cents. The total points earned for a purchase totaling thirty dollars and ninety-nine cents ($ 30.99) as shown above in Table 1, is one hundred thirty-five points (135) by combining the first and second separation points of opportunity. In the case of a customer card that is presented later during the sales transaction, the system includes the ability to provide credit to the customer for any bonus item explored before it is presented. the credit card so that they are printed at the customer's reception and the customer is issued these bonus points. Likewise, the system also provides the customer with the opportunity to reimburse points for any reimbursable item entry in the system before the card number is entered. The card can be presented at any time in the order before the payment is made to the POS device. The customer can reimburse points earned in a number of ways, including gift certificates and / or catalog items at the retailer's service desk, or at the point-of-sale device during the purchase of a refundable item. However, in some modalities of the system, a client can not be allowed to reimburse points until certain information has been entered into the system. For example, a retailer may need to enter demographic information into each customer's customer record before allowing each customer to participate in the program. The retailer could implement this requirement by placing a block on each customer point rebate until it has been entered the demographic information in the customer record. The reimbursement of points on the service desk for catalog items, certificates, and certificates for travel-related rewards that can be reimbursed at a variety of point levels are validated against: the customer's account in the database of the guest system, centralized, and the balance of points of the client in the account is loaded into the system in real time in the reimbursement of points for certificates or catalog items. Reimbursement of points during verification by a customer at the point of sale device can be made to occur only for items that are specifically designated as reimbursable items. Items are designated as reimbursable by the retailer. A customer who purchases an item designated as reimbursable will be notified of the item's ability to choose for reimbursement by the retailer. In some modalities, depending on the capabilities of the POS system, the POS device can notify the cashier and the customer of the choice of the item. for reimbursement as the article is explored. If the client decides to reimburse the item eligible for reimbursement, points will be charged from the points balance of the client's account and the client will reduce a reduction in the price of the item, immediately. The system also includes the ability to reflect additional reductions in the price of transaction items that are determined by individual retailers. For example, all customers who present the account card can give discounts of cents of any amount for a transaction item identified by the retailer. This initial reduction in the price can be given separately or in combination with the reduction in the price that is provided for the reimbursement of points in the selected items. An example of the additional reduction in price, used in combination with a refund of normal points can be seen in the reimbursable article with a price of two dollars ($ 2.00). If the retailer wishes to give the reimbursable item at no cost to the customer, the retailer may allocate an additional reduction amount of eighty. cents to the reimbursable item. When a client presents the account card along with the purchase of the item, he will be granted a discount of eighty cents and if he chooses to reimburse the item, he could exchange the 750 points for a reduction of $ 1.20 and obtain the free item. In this scenario, the additional discount is not dependent on whether the client reimburses the points for a reduction in the price, any client that participates in the program and presents the account card will obtain the reduction in the price. It is also contemplated that the additional discount could be dependent on the reimbursement of points. Where the additional reduction in the price of eighty cents will not occur unless the customer chooses to reimburse the points for an initial reduction in the price. During the verification of the customer at the point-of-sale device, the system prints on the sales receipt, the descriptions of the bonus items and the corresponding bonus points earned so that all the bond items purchased during the customer's visit to the retailer. Refunds taken by the customer at the point of sale are also printed on the reception. When the client completes the transactions, the system calculates and prints the total points earned for those transactions and the new balance of account points that reflects all the points earned and reimbursed during the present visit to the retailer. The system also transmits a message that transports the total points earned in the transaction by category of points and the total points 10 reimbursed in the current transaction to the host system database, centralized in the completion of a transaction so that it is, You can update the customer's account. In the retailer's on, the system allows the retailer creates a transaction log file that is configured to capture and update information about customer transactions at various levels of detail for data analysis. 20 FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION, DETAILED Figure 1 shows a functional diagram of an embodiment of system 2 of accumulation of points of transactions, of the consumer, implemented by computer. The system 2 includes a system 10 in storage, a guest 30 of the retailer and a system 40 host program coordinator. The system 10 in storage is comprised of a point-of-sale, retail, general device 12 that includes a magnetic card reader and / or barcode scanner and has online connection capability to both the host system and the program coordinator. as to the retailer's guest system. The point of sale device 12 is electrically coupled to a controller 14 which is electrically coupled to a communicator 18 of the system in storage. In other modalities, the system does not include a system communicator in storage and the system controller performs the communication function. The warehouse system also includes a networked workstation 16 that is used in the retailer's service desk. The communicator 18 of the system in storage and the work station 16 of the service desk routes the transactions of the storage system to and from the guest system 40 via a communication network. Transactions that are routed between the system 10 in storage and the host system 40 occur in real time. The system also includes a retailer host system 30 that is electrically coupled to the controller 14 of the warehouse system. The retailer's guest system facilitates the centralized adjustment of program data related to the reimbursable bond and point-of-sale items. The retail guest system 30 transmits the details of the setting or establishment for the bonus and point of sale rebate items to the point of sale devices in each retailer store through the warehouse system controller 14. Although most of the adjustment data is received in the form of lots in the retailer's guest, which may be off-site, it may be necessary for warehouse personnel to correct and / or modify the adjustment details' or establishment downloaded from the host. A mechanism to read and change the parameters of item level points in this way is a requirement at the retailer level. These changes are usually made by accessing the database of the controller 14 of the system in storage. The retailer's 30 guest system also provides to the retailer the ability to batch update customer data for analysis. The service desk workstation 16 comprises a personal computer running a computer program application that allows a retailer to access the centralized guest system. The retailer can have access to the application that controls the system and perform the number of functions depending on the security levels attached to the function and the level of security clearance of the employees - of the retailer. The functions available for access from workstation 16 of the service desk. include: balance investigation, transfer points, point balance adjustments, point reimbursement, certificate issuance, merchandise order, add / change alternative identification, cancel / issue customer card, enter registration data and modify data from. ma riculation. The service desk workstation also transmits information regarding new changes in client enrollment to the host system of the operational database.

The balance investigation function provides the customer with a current account balance. The function of transfer points allows the retailer to assist customers in the consolidation of points between two customer accounts. The point balance adjustment feature provides the retailer's staff with the ability to make corrections to the customer's point balance in the customer's account. The point reimbursement feature provides the retailer with a mechanism to retrieve points issued on merchandise returns. The function of issuing certificates allows the retailer to issue certificates to the program's clients that will be used by the participating retailers. The certificates are printed with numbers of previously ignored series in specific dollar amounts. When the certificates are physically distributed to the retailers, the guest system 40 registers the serial numbers sent to each store and marks each certificate with a "D" status indicating that the certificate is distributed and illegible for the issue. At the time of issuance, the serial number of the certificate is entered in the station of work of the service desk and it is verified through the online points server 42, to determine the status and value of the certificate. In order to be issued, the status mark for the certificate number that is issued must be in the "D" state on the 42 points online server. When the certificate is issued, the customer's account is charged by the number of points needed to purchase the certificate and the status mark for the certificate is changed to "I" on the online points server 42 indicating that the certificate has been issued. certificate. The state mark helps with the assurance that certificates are used only once for the value marked on the surface. When a certificate is being made for exchange reimbursement for a reduction in the price of a transaction (for example, a $ 10 certificate for a $ 10 reduction in the price of the merchandise), the cashier must enter the serial number of the certificate in the POS device. After entering the serial number, the POS device that is electrically coupled to the online point server 42 sends a request to the online point server 42 to determine whether the presented certificate is a valid certificate issued and refundable. Online point server 42 validates the certificate by indicating that the status of the certificate is "I" issued and understanding that the certificate has not been previously reimbursed. The retailer can reimburse the certificate once an approval message has been sent to the POS device or signal 42 of online points. The retailer can then reduce the amount owed on the purchase by the value marked on the surface of the certificate. A certificate that is reimbursed has its status in the online points server 42 immediately changed to ("R"). The reimbursed status puts the certificate out of circulation and prevents the certificate from being used again. The merchandise order function provides the retailer with the ability to assist the customer in the reimbursement of points for catalog items. When the customer seeks to buy catalog items, the client's account is verified through the online points server to ensure that the client has a sufficient total of points in order to reimburse a specified catalog item. If the client's account has enough points, it is loaded in real time by the number of points needed to purchase the catalog article, selected. The function of adding / changing alternative identification allows substitute identification numbers to be adjusted and modified. The canceled / remitted customer card feature allows a retailer to close an existing customer account and transfer customer points and information to a new customer account. The input registration data function allows the store to enter the demographic information for new program participants into the host system of the operational database. The change registration data feature allows the store to change the demographic information for customers. The system controller 14 in storage communicates directly with the point of sale devices of the warehouse system and the data files that define the items for sale at the retailer's store as being bonuses, exempt or refundable. The data of the bonus items, the refund items and the exempt items are transmitted from the retailer's guest system to the data storage files within the controller 14 in the retail system. warehouse to update the data files of the warehouse system controller in relation to the bonus, reimbursement and other data of the system. The controller 14 of the warehouse system can also perform end-of-day processing at the local level that transmits the daily totals to the server 42 of online points for reconciliation. Upon receiving recognition from the online points server 42 that the totals registration was successfully received, the system controller 10 can extract the client activity and update the client files to the host system of the operational database. This function also advances the business date in the warehouse. Online point server 42 serves all online requests for point inquiries, updates and reimbursements for customer accounts. The online point server 42 maintains a client file that includes a plurality of client records for each client that is a participant of the point accumulation systems program. The file within the online points server 42 also includes a plurality of records of merchants for each of the plurality of retail merchants, not competitors that support the program. Each customer record has the customer account data for each participating customer that includes at least data fields to store the client's account number and the cumulative total customer value. Merchant records include, but are not limited to, transaction activity information. Online point server 42 details the activity of points for a current business day in a transaction log file within the online point server database 42. The online point server 42 extracts and transfers all pertinent data to the guest system, from the operational database for batch updating on a nightly basis. The online point server maintains each transaction log file until the operational database server returns a renewal file to the online point server at which point the online points server executes a renewal process that updates the database of the online client and delete the corresponding transaction log file. The operational database guest system 44 serves as a main data store to serve all requirements not in real time for the data (i.e., help desk, account, report, etc.) the server support 42 online points. In addition, the host system of the operational database serves all the requests of the warehouse service desk to add and modify the geographic data of the clients. On a nightly basis, the host system 44 of the operational database receives the extraction file from the transaction log files of the online points server 42, updates the appropriate tables in the operational database and creates a renewal file. The renewal file is transferred to the online point server 42 to facilitate the synchronization of the two client databases within the guest system 40. The system includes the ability to perform a complete audit of files to ensure that the two bases of Customer data is in sync.

The retail guest system 30 is where a majority of the adjustment data in relation to the bonus, reimbursable and exempt items is entered for transmission to the warehouse system controller 14 at each retailer's store. The retailer's guest system performs at least the following functions: exempt adjustment, adjustment of bonus items, adjustment of warehouse reimbursement items, and settlement processing of daily accounts. The retail guest system 30 also receives the transactional log files of the warehouse system controller 14, and the service desk 16. The exempt setting function defines the items and departments where program points can not be awarded. This information is to be downloaded to the database controller 14 of the warehouse system for use in the retailer's store. Although it is not a requirement, in this particular modality, the adjustment of the bond items assigns a positive point value or an item and may also assign a start / stop date that defines the period during which the item maintains the status of the item. bond. The bonus item adjustment feature also identifies the sponsor of the bonus points, the warehouse, the program coordinator, or a manufacturer. This information is also downloaded to the controller database 14 of the warehouse system for use in each individual store of the retailer. The reimbursement item adjustment function assigns a negative point and values in dollars an article and a start / stop date that defines the period during which an article maintains the reimbursement status. In this particular modality, the value in points to reimburse an article of reimbursement is -750 points. The reduction of the price of the reimbursable article is - $ 1.20, assuming that the purchased item has a price that is not greater than or equal to - $ 1.20. This information is to be downloaded to the controller 14 of the warehouse system in the individual stores of the retailer. The retailer's guest system also performs end-of-day processing that extracts all customer activity for each store by retrieving the transaction log files of each controller 14 of the warehouse and service desk system 16 at each retailer location. . These daily activity files are uploaded to the retailer's guest 30 and / or to the system 44 guest of the operational database. The retail guest system 30 also provides batch communications of the collected data to the guest system 40. The processing of the transactions that occur must be performed in two modes, one phase and two phases. The one-phase transaction is one in which the warehouse system communicates once with the guest system during customer transactions. The communication is the request for authorization for a transaction to update points where the opportunity for the reimbursement of points is not selected. A two-phase transaction is where there is an automatic investigation of the balance at the beginning of the transaction and an update of points at the end of the transaction. Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown an overview of one mode of the consumer transaction point accumulation system, which is processed primarily in the two-phase mode. Point accrual system processing begins when a customer in the point-of-sale device for a retailer begins to buy products or services from the retailer. At the start of transaction 100, the cashier of the retailer's shop enters the account number in the point of sale device of the system in storage by means of a magnetic strip card reader, keyboard or other data input device used in conjunction with the knitted device 102 selling. After the introduction of the customer account number, the controller 14 of the warehouse system requests the balance 104 of points, client stream from the database 104 of the guest system 40. The guest system 40 processes the request and locates a record of the customer's account stored within the base of host system data 40 and sends the registration of the return account to the point of sale device 106 through the controller 14 of the warehouse system. The customer record that is sent back to the device 12 of the point of sale includes at least the accumulated point balance, current, of the customer. The request for the data by the system 10 in the storage of the guest system 40 and the transmission of the customer account data from the guest system 40 to the storage system 10 both occur in real time so that the device 12 of data points sale can save the balance of accumulated points, current, customer and account number in a temporary data storage within the point of sale device 12 pending the entry of a refundable item < 108. The client's point balance is also temporarily stored in the controller 14 so that the accumulated points throughout the client's transaction can be updated, quickly by updating the balance of points temporarily stored in the client. controller 14. After the capture of the customer's account record, the cashier enters an article number for an item that is purchased by the customer via a browser or keypad 110, 112 causing the point of sale device 12 to communicate with the customer. the system controller 14 requesting the controller 14 to search for the item number of the article that is purchased in a main article file within the database 114 of the warehouse system controller 14. All items of possible purchase must be stored in the main article file where they are referenced with an item number and a status mark. The status mark for each item stored within the database of the system Store is either exempt, refundable, in bonds or stateless. First, the system checks to see if the item that the customer is looking for to buy has the status of exempt 116. If the state is exempt, points can not be awarded for the purchase of that particular item 118. The system then returns to the process of point of sale device back to article entry state 110 so that the retailer can enter the item number of the next item desired to be purchased. If the item that the customer seeks to buy is not referred to as exempt), the point-of-sale device adds the price of the item to the accumulator that follows the total eligible for the calculation of the "regular" points 120. Then, the system checks to see if the article that the customer is looking for has the status of bonus 122. If the article that is purchased has the status of bonus 124, the system processes the item that is purchased as a bonus item and adds bonus points to the balance of points, accumulated, of the customer, total, stored in the temporary storage of the point-of-sale device. Then, the system returns to the point of sale device process back to article entry state 110 so that the retailer can enter the item number of the next item desired to be purchased. If the item purchased by a consumer does not have a bonus status, the system checks to see if the item has a reimbursable status of 126. If the item is not reimbursable, it does not have listing 128 and the system returns to process of the point of sale device back to article entry state 110 so that the retailer can enter the item number of the next item desired to be purchased. If "the item has the list refundable, the system can notify the retailer of this status and warn the cashier to ask the customer if he wishes to exchange the points for a reduction in the price of the purchased item 130. In this mode, the customer can exchange 750 points for a reduction of $ 1.20 dollars in the price of the reimbursable item that is purchased If the consumer declines to exchange the points for $ 1.20 of the price of the reimbursable item that is purchased, the system returns to the process of the point of sale device. return to article entry state 110 so that the retailer can enter the article number of the next article that you want to buy. If the client wishes to exchange 750 points for a reduction of $ 1.20 in the price of the item purchased 132, the cashier enters a unique number where the point of sale device corresponds to the customer's acceptance of the exchange of points for a reduction in the option of the purchase price. After the acceptance of the option of exchange of points by the client, the point of sale device verifies the balance of the total points of the stored client that is temporarily stored in the temporary data storage 134, the point of sale device. Specifically, in this particular invention, the system is verifying to see if the total points of the customer account is greater than or equal to 750 points. If the point total is less than 750 points 134 of the point-of-sale device it displays an error message to the retailer and repeals the exchange option of 750 points and the system goes back to the point-of-sale device process back to the state 110 entry to the article so that the retailer can enter the article number of the Next article that you want to buy. Without the points balance of the customer account is greater than or equal to 750 points, the point-of-sale device verifies the warehouse system controller database to determine if the item price that is purchased is greater than or equal to $ 1.20 136. If the price of the item purchased is less than $ 1.20, the error is displayed on the retail point-of-sale device and the system returns to the point of sale device process back to state 110 of article entry, so that the cashier can enter the item number of the next item you want to buy 138. If the price of the item you buy is greater than or equal to $ 1.20 140, the warehouse system controller returns to an item description to the point-of-sale device and owes the accumulated points balance of the customer, temporarily stored in the temporary storage of the point-of-sale device by 730 points, 140. The point device of sale prints a description of the item refunded and / or the amount of points owed from the customer's accumulated account balance at the customer's reception 142. The warehouse system controller it also captures the reimbursement and bonus data in the register file 144. Then, the system returns to the point of sale device process on the return 110 entry to the article so that the cashier can enter the item number in the next article that you want to buy. If all of the customer's transaction items have been purchased, the retailer can press a key of total 110, 112 to indicate that the customer's transaction is terminated. Once the customer transactions have been completed, the buyer calculates the net points earned by the customer during the current sales visit. Then, the retailer determines whether the order is ready to offer 148. If the order is not ready to be offered, the system allows the return of the point-of-sale device process to the article entry 110 state so that the retailer can introduce The necessary data to offer the order. If the order is ready to be offered, the retailer offers the order 150 and the point of sale device calculates the total net points earned during the customer's sales visit and the new account balance of the accumulated points 152. The point device from The sale also sends an update message to the guest that includes the points earned from the client by a current transaction 152. The guest system retrieves the point update transaction and returns an acknowledgment of receipt of the update message to the store system controller and the 154 point of sale device. In either the one-phase or two-phase mode, after receipt of a point-of-sale response message from the guest system, the POS device prints a receipt for the client that includes the start point balance, the total points earned during the sales visits, the total points exchanged for reductions in the price during the sales visit, and the new account point balance 156, which terminates the transaction for that customer 158. Although the operation of a modality of the point accumulation system per consumer transaction, implemented by computer, alternative embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be appreciated and understood that the invention resides in the claims annexed later in the present.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims (22)

1. A system of accumulation of points by transactions, of the consumer, implemented by computer, in which a customer earns and accumulates points immediately in the storage of data centralized by transactions in participating stores of the retailers, the system is characterized because it comprises: ( a) at least one warehouse system that includes: (i) a local processor; (ii) data storage, local electrically coupled to the local processor; (iii) a data entry means electrically coupled to the local processor to receive the identity data of the customer's account and requests from the customer's account, and (iv) a local communicator electrically coupled to the local processor for transmit requests for customer account data; (b) a host system that has at least: (i) a host processor; (ii) a guest database electrically coupled to the guest processor, the guest database that includes a plurality of consumer records, wherein each user record The consumer includes at least one consumer point balance; (iii) a guest communicator electrically connected to the host processor to receive requests for 15 the data of the client's account, the guest communicator that transmits at least the balance of points to the warehouse system; (c) the local processor that performs the 20 following steps: (i) process each consumer transaction during the consumer's visit to the retailer's store to determine the points earned; (ii) update the balance of points in the warehouse system by adding the points earned to the points balance; (iii) analyze the updated balance of points to determine if the authorized point balance is greater than or equal to a credit point balance in cash; and (iv) where the balance of authorized points is greater than or equal to the balance of credit points in cash, provide the client with the option to immediately reduce the price of the transaction by a specific amount.

2. The computer implemented system according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor processes the updated point balance, after the entry of the data representing each article in the warehouse system, to determine if the total number of numbers gained by the consumer is high enough to allow a reduction in the price in a reimbursable item, purchased, the processor ^ that allows an immediate reduction of the purchase price of the reimbursable item, purchased and an immediate reduction of the balance of points updated when the purchase price of the purchased item is reduced.

3. The computer implemented system according to claim 1, characterized in that each consumer record includes at least data representing the consumer point balance and the consumer account number.

4. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the consumer record includes identification numbers.

5. The computer implemented system according to claim 1, characterized in that the guest database includes merchant records.

6. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor requests the data from the consumer's records within the guest database after receipt of the identity data of the consumer's account.

7. The computer implemented system according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor processes the data entered in the system, the transaction data that includes an article number, the processor that searches for a main file of items stored in the base of local data for the article number, the local data storage that includes a plurality of article records where each article record includes the article number and a dot data field associated therewith, the processor having the balance of points paid and stored in the updated local data storage by adding to the point balance the number of points in the points data field.

8. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the data storage local includes a main file of stored items thereof, the main article file includes a plurality of item records where each item record includes the article number for each article to be purchased and a data field of points that it includes a predetermined number of points associated with it.

9. A system of points accumulation per transaction, of the consumer, implemented by computer, in which a consumer earns and accumulates points immediately in the storage of data centralized by transactions in participating stores of retailers, where the points earned "can be reimbursed immediately by a consumer to purchase selected articles, the system is characterized in that it comprises: Ca) at least one storage system that has at least: (i) a local processor, (ii) a data storage, local electrically coupled to the local processor (iii) a data entry medium electrically coupled to the processor local to receive a consumer account number and requests from the consumer's account; and (iv) a local communicator electrically coupled to the local processor to transmit requests for the consumer account data; (b) a host system that has at least: (i) a host processor; 10 (ii) a host database electrically coupled to the host processor, the guest database that includes a plurality of consumer records, wherein each record of the The consumer includes the data of the consumer's account for each participating consumer, the consumer's account data for each consumer participating, the data of 20 consumer account that include at least the data representing the consumer's account number and the data representing a total number of transaction points earned by the consumer 25 consumer; (iii) a guest communicator electrically coupled to the host processor to receive requests for data from the consumer account of the local communicator, the guest communicator that transmits the consumer's account data to the system in storage; the local processor that runs the 10 consumer account data transmitted to the system in storage to be stored in the local data storage, the local processor that processes each 15 consumer transaction during the consumer's visit to the retailer's store to determine the points awarded for each transaction to determine whether the purchased item is 20 a selected article that allows you to reduce your purchase price; the local processor that updates the data that represents the total number of transaction points stored in 25 the local data storage immediately by adding to the total number of transaction points any of the points awarded for each consumer transaction, the local processor that processes the data representing the total updated number of transaction points after each transaction to determine whether the total number of points won by the consumer is sufficiently high to allow a reduction in the price of the purchased item, the processor that allows an immediate reduction of the purchase price of the purchased item and an immediate reduction of the total updated number of points per transaction when the purchase price of the purchased item is reduced.

10. A computer-implemented method of accumulating consumer point reimbursement resulting from consumer transactions in retailer participating stores, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: introduce the steps of consumer identity in a local system; request point data per consumer transaction representing a total of points per transaction, initial previously earned by a consumer, store data points per consumer transaction in temporary data storage, process a code number for a transaction item, which is purchased to determine if the transaction item has a selection status; award points for transaction items that have selection states; update point-by-transaction data of the consumer stored in temporary storage of data by adding the points awarded for transaction items to the total points per transaction, initial; analyze point-by-transaction, consumer data, updated to determine if the updated balance of points per consumer transaction is equal to or equal to a balance of cash cry points; Y where the updated balance of funds per consumer transaction is greater than or equal to a balance of credit points in cash, providing a consumer with an option to immediately reduce the price of the consumer transaction by a specified amount.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes the step of printing a receipt displaying the point data per consumer transaction representing the initial total points per transaction, the data points per transaction, modified representing updates to the Initial total points per transaction, a description of the transaction item and the amount of price reduction.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes the step of: reducing point data per transaction by a total of item reimbursement points in response to a consumer request for a reduction in the price in a reimbursable transaction article; and reduce the price of the refundable transaction item by an amount determined by the retailer's store.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the step of processing a code number includes searching for a main file of transaction items to complete the state of the transaction article.

14. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the bonus points are granted for a transaction number where the finished status for the purchased transaction item has a bonus status designation.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that no points are awarded for a transaction article when the list determined for the purchased transaction item has an exempt status designation.

16. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the step of reducing the price of the reimbursable transaction article occurs when the purchased transaction item has a reimbursable status designation.

17. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it also includes the step of reducing the updated balance of points per consumer transaction by the balance of credit points in cash and updating the balance of points with the reduced balance of updated points.

18. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it also includes the step of, where the updated balance of points per consumer transaction is less than the balance of credit points in cash, update the data of points per transaction of the consumer with the updated data points per consumer transaction that represent the balance updated points per consumer transaction.

19. The system implemented by computer according to claim 10, characterized in that it also includes the step of, where the consumer chooses not to reduce the price of the transaction, update the data of the points per transaction of the consumer with the data of the points per transaction. of the consumer, updated that represent the updated balance of the points per consumer transaction.

20. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor also includes the following steps: reduce the updated balance of points by the balance of credit points in cash and update the balance of points in the guest database with the reduced balance of updated points.

21. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor includes In addition, the following steps: where the updated balance of points is less than the balance of credit points in cash, update the balance of points in the guest database with the updated balance of points.

22. The system implemented by computer according to claim 1, characterized in that the local processor also includes the following steps: where the consumer chooses not to reduce the price of the transaction article, update the initial total of points per transaction with the updated balance of points .