Systems and methods for promotional programs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11238484-B2
Application number	US-202017131085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to managing promotional programs. A promotion card is associated with at least one promotional program. Eligibility of one or more items is determined based on rules associated with the promotional program. A payment amount is calculated based on the eligibility of the items and the rules of the promotional program.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for managing promotional programs, the system comprising:
a device programmed to receive information on one or more items to purchase in a transaction; and
a server executing a substantiation platform programmed to communicate with the device to receive the information on the one or more items to purchase, the substantiation platform comprising a rule engine, the rule engine receives information relating to the one or more items and rules associated with a plurality of promotional programs, and analyzes the rules to determine eligibility of the one or more items for the plurality of promotional programs, and outputs payment information for the one or more items based on eligibility and the rules associated with the plurality of promotional programs, wherein the rules associated with at least one promotional program in the plurality of promotional programs defines an order of redemption when multiple promotional programs of the plurality of promotional programs are applicable for the one or more items;
the substantiation platform receives edits to the rules integrating a modified approved items list that are specifically eligible for a promotional program and a modified black-list items list that are specifically ineligible for the promotional program of the plurality of promotional programs applicable to the one or more items, automatically generates edited rules integrating the modified approved items list and the modified black-list items list into one or more edited rules, reanalyzes the one or more edited rules to determine eligibility of the one or more items for the plurality of promotional programs based on the edited rules associated with the promotional program, and determines payment information for the one or more items determined to be eligible for the plurality of promotional programs; and
wherein the transaction for the purchase of the one or more items includes a first transaction for a payment amount determined based on the payment information for the one or more items determined to be eligible and a second transaction for one or more ineligible items using different payment information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of promotional programs is an offer for a discount for a purchase of one or more items.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of promotional programs is an offer for a tender amount wherein the tender amount can be used to make a payment for the one or more items.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rules associated the promotional program defines one or more eligible items for the at least one of the plurality of promotional programs, one or more discounts, one or more tender amounts, or one or more locations where the at least one of the plurality of promotional programs is eligible.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a cash register, a computer, a portable device, or a smart phone.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substantiation platform is further configured to receive input from a user, wherein the input defines the one or more rules associated with the plurality of promotional programs.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substantiation platform is programmed to determine whether the one or more items is eligible for the plurality of promotional programs based on whether the one or more items are associated with the modified approved items list or to determine whether the one or more items are eligible based on whether the one or more items are excluded from the modified black-list items list.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device is further configured to receive a promotional card for the transaction, and the substantiation platform determines the plurality of promotional programs based on promotional programs associated with the promotional card.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the payment information identifies which of the one or more items are eligible for the plurality of promotional programs, and the device accepts the promotional card as tender for any of the one or more items identified as being eligible and denies the promotional card as tender for any of the one or more items identified as being ineligible.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substantiation platform is further configured to generate a user interface, wherein the user interface receives information related to the one or more rules for at least one of the plurality of promotional programs.

11. A method for managing promotional programs, the method comprising:
Receiving, by a server executing a substantiation platform, information related to one or more items for purchase in a transaction from a device;
determining, by execution of a rules engine of the substantiation platform, eligibility of the one or more items for a plurality of promotional programs based on one or more rules associated with at least one promotional program of the plurality of promotional programs, and determining eligibility of items based on rules defining redemption order of multiple promotional programs;
receiving, by the substantiation platform, edits to the rules integrating a modified approved items list that are specifically eligible for a promotional program and a modified black-list items list that are specifically ineligible for the promotional program of the plurality of promotional programs applicable to the one or more items;
automatically generating, by the substantiation platform, edited rules integrating the modified approved items list and the modified black-list items list into one or more edited rules;
reanalyzing, by the substantiation platform the one or more edited rules to determine eligibility of the one or more items for the plurality of promotional programs based on the one or more edited rules associated with the promotional program;
determining, in response to execution of the rules engine, payment information for the one or more items based on the eligibility of the one or more items and the one or more rules for the plurality of promotional programs;
wherein the transaction for the purchase of the one or more items includes a first transaction for a payment amount determined based on the payment information for the one or more items determined to be eligible and a second transaction for one or more ineligible items using different payment information.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving information related to the one or more rules associated with the plurality of promotional programs;
defining the plurality of promotional programs based on the received information; and
associating the plurality of promotional programs with a promotional card.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device is further configured to receive a promotional card for the transaction, and the substantiation platform determines the plurality of promotional programs based on promotional programs associated with the promotional card.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising associating the promotional program with a range of card numbers and/or bank identification numbers (BINs) corresponding to a plurality of promotional cards.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising associating another promotional program with the promotional card.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising accepting payment based on the payment information.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a cash register, a computer, a portable device, or a smart phone.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the r

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Chakrobartty Shuvro
• Nair Jay
• Pankajakshan Nair Sandya
• Meyer Sara
• Hurd Alex
• Hodges Marina
• Sherrill Ted
• Solis Saul
• Mandava Hanumantha
• Danda Gopi Kishore
• Venable Chris
• Hunter Samuel

Classifications

• G06Q20/20

  Point-of-sale [POS] network systems · CPC title

• G06Q30/0238 Primary

  at point-of-sale [POS] · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title