System and Method for Administering a Brokerage Rebate Card Program

Abstract

A technique for administering a rebate program includes logic for generating rebate information based the purchase of goods and/or services using a card instrument. The technique further includes logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by an brokerage service. In one embodiment, the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction. In this case, the rebate is used to fund at least part of the transaction fee. The rebate therefore entitles the cardholder to perform a transaction free of charge. The rebate thus is converted to one or more “free transactions,” and in a more specific application, one or more “free trades.”

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for administering a rebate program, comprising:
 logic for generating rebate information based on at least one purchase of goods or services; and   logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by a brokerage service,   wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the logic for applying comprises using the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         2 . A system for administering a rebate program, comprising:
 a card provider system, including:
 a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument; 
 logic for processing a purchase made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument; 
 logic for determining rebate information based on the purchase made using the card; 
   a brokerage system, including:
 a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system; 
 logic for receiving instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction; 
 logic for processing the transaction; and 
 logic for applying a rebate to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information, 
   wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the logic for applying uses the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the logic for determining rebate information comprises logic for determining rebate information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the card provider system further includes logic for transferring the rebate information from the card provider system to the brokerage system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the transferring logic transfer the rebate information on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the card provider system further comprises:
 logic for generating a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies rebate information.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the brokerage system further comprises:
 logic for generating a transaction report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, on behalf of a cardholder, using the brokerage system, and which also identifies rebate information.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein part of the rebate is funded by the card provider system, and part of the rebate is funded by the brokerage system. 
     
     
         9 . A card provider system for administering a rebate program, comprising:
 a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;   logic for processing a purchase made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument, and for making a record of the purchase in the card instrument account;   logic for determining net purchase information based on a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;   logic for determining rebate information based on the net purchase information;   logic for transferring the rebate information to an brokerage system,   wherein the brokerage system applies a rebate to fund at least part of a transaction made using the brokerage system; wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information,   wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         10 . An brokerage system for administering a rebate program, comprising:
 a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;   logic for receiving rebate information from a card provider, the rebate information based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;   logic for receiving instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction;   logic for processing the transaction; and   logic for applying a rebate to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information,   wherein brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage system applies the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         11 . A method for administering a rebate program, comprising:
 generating rebate information based on at least one purchase of goods or services; and   applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by a brokerage service,   wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         12 . A method of administering a rebate program, comprising:
 establishing, by a card provider, a card instrument account for a cardholder;   establishing, by a brokerage service, a transaction account;   processing, by the card provider, a purchase made by the cardholder based on use of a card instrument and making a record of the purchase in the card instrument account;   determining, by the card provider, rebate information based on the purchase made using the card instrument;   receiving, by the brokerage service, instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that directs the brokerage service to perform a transaction;   processing, by the brokerage service, the transaction, and making a record of the transaction in the transaction account; and   applying, by the brokerage service, a rebate to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information,   wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the card provider determines the rebate information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of transferring the rebate information from the card provider to the brokerage service. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transferring step takes place on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 generating, by the card provider, a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies rebate information; and   forwarding the card instrument report to the cardholder.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 generating, by the brokerage service, a report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, and which also identifies rebate information; and   forwarding the transaction report to the cardholder.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein part of the rebate is funded by the card provider, and part of the rebate is funded by the brokerage service. 
     
     
         19 . A method of administering a rebate program, comprising:
 providing a card instrument to a cardholder and establishing a card instrument account;   processing a purchase made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument and making a record of the purchase in the card instrument account;   determining net purchase information based a summation of purchase information stored in the card instrument account;   determining rebate information based on the net purchase information; and   transferring the rebate information to an brokerage service,   wherein the brokerage service applies a rebate to fund at least part of a transaction made using the brokerage service, wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information,   wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage service applies the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.   
     
     
         20 . A method of administering a rebate program, comprising:
 establishing a transaction account with an brokerage service;   receiving rebate information from a card provider, the rebate information based on net purchases made by a cardholder using a card instrument;   receiving instructions from the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, that direct the brokerage service to perform a transaction;   processing the transaction using the brokerage service; and   applying a rebate to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the rebate is based on the rebate information,   wherein brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the brokerage service applies the rebate to fund at least part of the transaction fee.