System and method for the real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts

Abstract

The invention includes facilitating the substantially real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts. The method and system include receiving a transfer request (e.g., consumer request, triggering event, etc) for a transfer of a certain number of loyalty points, accessing and analyzing the total number of loyalty points in the transferor account to determine if a sufficient number of points exist, analyzing the type/level of consumer and type/level of points to be involved in the transfer, deducting the requested loyalty points from the transferor account, determining if any rules exist for restricting or limiting the transfer of points, using a conversion engine to convert the point value to an appropriate point value in the transferee account and increasing the point balance in the transferee account.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 determining, by a host computer for creating loyalty points, a first set of loyalty points based upon a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier;   determining, by said host computer, a second set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier;   determining, by said host computer, a third set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a merchant grouping; and   combining, by said host computer, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier, wherein said first loyalty account is used to obtain an item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining said item comprises using at least a portion of said first loyalty point balance to at least one of purchase, rent, or lease said item. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said obtaining said item comprises using at least a portion of said first loyalty point balance along with at least one of a monetary amount or loyalty points from another account. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request, at said host computer, to define a trigger event, wherein said trigger event causes an automatic transfer of at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting, at said host computer, a trigger event for transforming, wherein said trigger event is at least one of: a date, a balance of said first loyalty account, market conditions, or revenue changes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a first consumer type, a first consumer level, and a first consumer class associated with said consumer identifier, into at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring, at said host computer, at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account, based upon a first consumer type, a first consumer level, and a first consumer class associated with said consumer identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a point type, a point level, and a point class associated with said consumer identifier, into at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a first point type, a first point level, and a first point class to a second point type, a second point level, and a second point class. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transforming, at said host computer, a portion of said first loyalty point balance from a first point value to a second point value in response to said first loyalty account and said second loyalty account having different valuations. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to enable use of said first loyalty account from at least one a consumer associated with said consumer identifier, a retailer associated with said retailer identifier, a manufacturer associated with said manufacturer item identifier, and a third party. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points from said first loyalty account to a second loyalty account in response to at least one of a date, an event, a non-event, a balance of said first loyalty account, market conditions, revenue changes, or said first loyalty account remaining inactive. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said merchant grouping includes at least one of merchants in a same shopping center, merchants in a same region, merchants providing similar goods or services, and affiliated merchants. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrieving, at said host computer, said manufacturer item identifier corresponding to said retail item identifier. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising deducting, as a transaction fee, a balance associated with said first loyalty account. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising notifying at least one of a consumer associated with said consumer identifier, a retailer associated with said retailer identifier, a manufacturer associated with said manufacturer item identifier, or a third party regarding at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tracking at least one of said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, or said third set of loyalty points within said first loyalty account. 
     
     
         19 . An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a host computer for creating loyalty points, cause said host computer to perform operations comprising:
 determining, by said host computer, a first set of loyalty points based upon a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier;   determining, by said host computer, a second set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier;   determining, by said host computer, a third set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a merchant grouping; and   combining, by said host computer, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier, wherein said first loyalty account is used to obtain an item.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a processor for creating loyalty points,   a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with said processor,   the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining, by said processor, a first set of loyalty points based upon a consumer identifier, a purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a retailer item identifier; 
 determining, by said processor, a second set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a manufacturer item identifier; 
 determining, by said processor, a third set of loyalty points based upon said consumer identifier, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to a merchant grouping; and 
 combining, by said processor, said first set of loyalty points, said second set of loyalty points, and said third set of loyalty points within a first loyalty account associated with said consumer identifier, wherein said first loyalty account is used to obtain an item.