CA2715548A1

CA2715548A1 - Receipt card

Info

Publication number: CA2715548A1
Application number: CA2715548A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jeffery N. Sowa; Kelechi N. Young-Nwafor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-23
Filing date: 2010-09-23
Publication date: 2012-03-23

Abstract

The Receipt Card (RC) is an ISO standard access card that will be linked to a remote server/database allowing for an eco-friendly substitution to current paper receipts. The inconvenience of filing, maintaining, organizing and locating paper receipts for return, warranty verifications, budget planning and tax filing will be solved with the already established functional system of an ISO standard access card. The remote server/database will act as a central location for all authorized customers as storage for electronically generated receipts. Current technologies that are used by vendors will be maintained in order to stimulate a convenient transition, for both consumers and vendors, from paper to paperless receipts; in the form of RC's.
This system, that will facilitate the comprehensive use of RC's, will not take away from the advertising and promotional benefits of receipts but will act to enhance it, while minimizing the start-up costs of vendors, adding a new face to the green revolution and providing customers with a new, reliable way to track their purchase transactions.

Description

Description A receipt card (RC) is an access card that stores receipts on a web server. It is a paperless alternative to the hard copy receipts currently used by retail and wholesale vendors. Similar to other ISO access cards, an RC
will be swiped or scanned at the cash register upon conclusion of a financial transaction. An RC is merely an alternative, hence consumers will have the option of using the conventional hard copy receipts where they may prove beneficial; an example of this would be at the grocery store where customers might want to crosscheck their receipts on the spot for errors.

Receipt information will be sent to and stored on an external server allowing consumer access via the internet. Consumers will have access to their receipts on the server by logging into their accounts with a secure account number and password. The server will be host to receipts and have options that will enhance the convenience of having an RC. Some of the options include searchable functions (by store name, item purchased, dateltime), warranty and return policy information; allowing consumers to locate their receipts quicker and providing them with information on the amount of time before their warranties expire.

The RC will store receipts for a limited amount of time but will have the option to "File Lock" receipts with a digital information storage limit (KB, MB, GB). Receipts that are file-locked will be stored in the database past the aforementioned time limit and can only be deleted by the RC holder.
This function would allow for the storage of receipts that have warranties that last longer than the time limit allowed on the RC. The RC
would also have a function in returning purchased merchandise. Consumers will have the option of printing out a hard copy receipt or simply taking their RCs into stores when returning items. The items will be scanned along with the RC, allowing the system/server to match the purchased items with the corresponding receipts.

The RC option provides improvements for the consumers and the vendors both individually and collectively.
It provides a more convenient and organized storage option for consumers while reducing the costs of production for the vendors. The RC presents an environmental benefit by reducing the amount of paper waste, thus adding a new innovation to the green revolution.

Some opposing arguments to the introduction of the RC exist. One of such arguments is that it eliminates the advertising opportunities provided by the hardcopy receipts. The RC would however tackle this problem by presenting advertising opportunities on the server where the receipts are stored and viewed by consumers on multiple occasions.

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Claims

1. A system for generating electronic receipts through the medium of an ISO
access card that connects vendor receipt systems to a remote server/database allowing for storage and filing of customer receipts.

2. The ISO access card acting as a receipt card (RC) linking the said system of claim 1, wherein the RC
will be issued to and used by customers at retail and wholesale vendor locations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote server/database can be accessed by participating customers with a valid RC via secure account login information, playing host to electronic receipts of RC holders for a limited amount of digital information storage/time period and providing convenient options for customers, including:
(i) The ability to inform customers of vendor return policies and a system that functions to alert customers of approaching vendor "guarantee" deadlines (ii) Ability for customers to generate gift receipts from their account and sending the gift receipts to other RC customers with an alternative sending option for non-RC customers (iii) Ability for customers to "File-Lock" receipts of choice onto the remote database, beyond the time/space limits outlined in claim 3 (iv) The ability to export electronic receipts for the remote server/database of claim 3

4. A system for displaying advertisements and coupons for vendors on the remote server/database on customer accounts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein customers can use the ISO access card of claim 2 to return purchased items to the store of purchase via a system that allows the vendor to scan the purchased item and the RC
in order for the system of claim 1 to match the item to the receipt on the said customers account on the remote server/database of claim 3.