Loyalty points system and method with supplemental authorizations

Abstract

The invention facilitates pooling, gifting or transferring of geographic area loyalty points between accounts. The invention also facilitates a transfer of geographic area loyalty points from a consumer account associated with a sponsoring company to a consumer account associated with a host company. The invention may also facilitate gifting of loyalty points to charitable organizations on a recurring basis, wherein the gifting may transfer any portion of geographic based points to various charities. The system may also convert the geographic area loyalty points to a monetary value, thereby allowing the points to be donated to a charity such that the donation appears to be a monetary value donation to the charity.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for facilitating operation of a loyalty points program having at least one primary member, the primary member having an account, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving information related to a primary member profile for the account at a server;   creating a primary member profile associated with the account in a computer system in communication with the server;   creating a supplementary member profile associated with the account in the computer system, wherein the supplementary member profile comprises a supplementary member authorization, and wherein the supplementary member authorization specifies an authorization access that indicates that a supplementary member may redeem at least a portion of loyalty points associated with the account;   receiving a transaction request at the server;   processing the transaction request using the computer system; and   fulfilling the transaction request.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all of the loyalty points associated with the account. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to only redeem loyalty points associated with the account that the primary member has authorized for redemption. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising a step allowing the supplementary member earn loyalty points,
 wherein the loyalty points earned by the supplementary member are associated with the account.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all of the loyalty points associated with the account that are earned by the supplementary member. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the authorization access comprises allowing the supplementary member to redeem all loyalty points associated with the account that are earned in a specific geographic area. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the primary member profile includes a primary member ID associated with a card, and wherein the supplementary member profile includes a supplementary member ID associated with a card. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein a plurality of supplementary member profiles are created. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising a step of reporting activity related to the account to the primary member but not the supplementary member. 
     
     
         31 . A method for facilitating operation of a loyalty points program having at least one primary member, the primary member having an account, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving information related to a primary member profile for the account at a server;   creating a primary member profile associated with the account in a computer system in communication with the server;   creating a supplementary member profile associated with the account in the computer system, wherein the supplementary member profile comprises a supplementary member authorization, and wherein the supplementary member authorization specifies an authorization access that indicates that a supplementary member may earn loyalty points that are associated with the account;   receiving a transaction request at the server;   processing the transaction request using the computer system; and   fulfilling the transaction request.