System and method for managing transactions with a portable computing device

Abstract

A method and system include verifying credentials for gaining access to a transactional controller with the portable computing device. The transactional controller may receive a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant and then it may compare the merchant identifier against loyalty account data stored in a database. The transactional controller may also receive product scan data and compare the product scan data against one of offer data and coupon data in a database. After these comparisons, any matches of product scan data to offer data or coupon data may be sent to the PCD and the POS controller. Similarly, any matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data may be transmitted to the POS controller. During or after the purchase transaction, a message may be generated by the transaction controller which lists one or more preferred payment options that may be selected using the PCD to complete a purchase.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method for managing transactions with a client portable computing device, the method comprising:
 transmitting user credentials of the client portable computing device over a computer communications network;   transmitting a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant over the communications network,   receiving matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data associated with the merchant over the computer communications network, wherein the client portable computing device receives at least one of a discount or benefit to a purchase transaction based on the loyalty account data; and   receiving a message from the computer communications network with the client portable computing device that lists one or more preferred payment options that may be selected to complete the purchase transaction.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein a preferred payment option is based on user preferences listed in a client profile. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a checking account, a savings account, and a stored value account. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to a non-traditional payment method comprising one of an on-line financial institution and a mobile phone service carrier. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the merchant identifier comprises data associated with one of an electronic cash register and a terminal. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the message that lists one or more preferred payment options is rendered on a display device of the portable computing device. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising receiving one or more offers with the client portable computing device based on product scan data associated with the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the client portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link. 
     
     
         49 . A computer system for managing transactions with a client portable computing device, the system comprising:
 the client portable device programmed to:
 transmit user credentials of the client portable computing device over a computer communications network; 
 transmit a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant over the communications network, 
 receive matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data associated with the merchant over the computer communications network, wherein the client portable computing device receives at least one of a discount or benefit to a purchase transaction based on the loyalty account data; and 
 receive a message from the computer communications network with the client portable computing device that lists one or more preferred payment options that may be selected to complete the purchase transaction. 
   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein a preferred payment option is based on user preferences listed in a client profile. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a checking account, a savings account, and a stored value account. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to a non-traditional payment method comprising one of an on-line financial institution and a mobile phone service carrier. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the merchant identifier comprises data associated with one of an electronic cash register and a terminal. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the message that lists one or more preferred payment options is rendered on a display device of the portable computing device. 
     
     
         55 . A client portable computing device for managing transactions, the client portable computing device comprising:
 means for transmitting user credentials over a computer communications network;   means for transmitting a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant over the communications network,   means for receiving matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data associated with the merchant from the computer communications network, wherein the client portable computing device receives at least one of a discount or benefit to a purchase transaction based on the loyalty account data; and   means for receiving a message from the computer communications network that lists one or more preferred payment options that may be selected to complete the purchase transaction.   
     
     
         56 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , wherein a preferred payment option is based on user preferences listed in a client profile. 
     
     
         57 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a checking account, a savings account, and a stored value account. 
     
     
         58 . The client portable computing device of  claim 57 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to a non-traditional payment method comprising one of an on-line financial institution and a mobile phone service carrier. 
     
     
         59 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , wherein the merchant identifier comprises data associated with one of an electronic cash register and a terminal. 
     
     
         60 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , wherein the message that lists one or more preferred payment options is rendered on a display device of the portable computing device. 
     
     
         61 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , further comprising means for receiving one or more offers based on product scan data associated with the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         62 . The client portable computing device of  claim 55 , wherein the client portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link. 
     
     
         63 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for managing transactions with a client portable computing device, said method comprising:
 transmitting user credentials of the client portable computing device over a computer communications network;   transmitting a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant over the communications network,   receiving matches of the merchant identifier to loyalty account data over the computer communications network to a merchant device associated with the merchant, wherein the client portable computing device receives at least one of a discount or benefit to a purchase transaction based on the loyalty account data; and   receiving a message from the computer communications network with the client portable computing device that lists one or more preferred payment options that may be selected to complete the purchase transaction.   
     
     
         64 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein a preferred payment option is based on user preferences listed in a client profile. 
     
     
         65 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, a checking account, a savings account, and a stored value account. 
     
     
         66 . The computer program product of  claim 65 , wherein the preferred payment option comprises account information corresponding to a non-traditional payment method comprising one of an on-line financial institution and a mobile phone service carrier. 
     
     
         67 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein the merchant identifier comprises data associated with one of an electronic cash register and a terminal. 
     
     
         68 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises: rendering the message that lists one or more preferred payment options on a display device of the portable computing device.) 
     
     
         69 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein the program code implementing the method further comprises: receiving one or more offers with the client portable computing device based on product scan data associated with the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         70 . The computer program product of  claim 63 , wherein the client portable computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a smartphone, a navigation device, and a hand-held computer with a wireless connection or link.