CA2684434A1 - Seamlessly capturing transactional data at the merchant's point of sale environment and creating electronic receipts, all in real-time - Google Patents

Abstract

Series of processes and methods designed to seamlessly capture detailed transactional data from merchants' Point of Sale environments and generate final presentments of electronic receipts for both consumers and merchants, is accessible from their destination accounts, all in real time.
Objectives are to: migrate all printed paper receipts to electronic forms;
enable customer facing post-sales management capabilities; increase self serve; create new shopping and post-shopping experiences and satisfaction rates; significantly reduce administrative and storage requirements and costs, and provide more time for work productivity. Customers and merchants are able to create various reports and are able to directly submit them from their destination accounts for:
expenditure accounting and tax purposes, payment processing, and for other company expenses.
Further capabilities include creating: supplementary accounts; spend alerts;
merchant driven targeted profile marketing initiatives, and business directory listings with mapping capabilities.

Description

Description:

Title -Seamlessly capturing transactional data at the merchant's Point of Sale environment and creating electronic receipts, all in real-time.

Technical Field -The inventions will address the retail Point of Sale (POS) environment, comprising of the technological and computer platforms related development to capture transactional data and then to create electronic receipts. The core objective is to seamlessly create real-time electronic receipts directly from the Point of Sale, leveraging the use of electronic transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant Data, providing very detailed transactional information.

The inventions will involve ongoing software and hardware platform developments; including keeping current with state of the art technologies to provide highly secured access and storage of electronic and transactional data, as well as the means of enabling real-time transmissions and conversions of electronic and transactional data and electronic receipts to the intended locations and account destinations.

Background -In today's commerce environment, everytime a transaction takes place between a consumer (a buyer) and a merchant (seller of goods and/or services); the consumer typically receives a paper receipt to show and act as a proof of payment and ownership. In order to provide printed paper receipts with every sales transaction, merchants need a Point of Sale (POS) terminal system, terminal printer, paper receipt rolls and printer ink cartridges; merchants also need to ensure that they have ample stock of paper receipt rolls and ink cartridges.

Through the development and introduction of credit cards into the market, receipts have migrated from being handwritten to now being printed. Having printed paper receipts at the Point of Sale provides thorough key transaction details that need to be captured. Receipts are the very fabric of everyday commerce transactions, as they provide different functions for both consumers and merchants. For 'Personal Consumers', receipts are:

= A proof of payment for the exchange of goods and (or) services rendered by the seller to the buyer.

= The titles of ownership for the property obtained in the exchange of transaction.

= The means of allowing an unsatisfied customer to exercise a return of goods and (or) complain about services rendered. In return and in accordance to the merchants' Return Policy, they will either be issued with a full monetary value refund, receive an exchange of goods and or services, or receive a credit for future purchases.

= A proof of warranty/guarantee for the goods and (or) services purchased.

Paper receipts serve additional functions for 'Small Medium Enterprises (SME's) and Corporations and their Business Managers':
= Receipts allow business managers, businesses and companies to keep track of their company related expenses, helping them to better manage and monitor their company expenses and budgets.
= Employees are mandated to retain their company expense receipts for all of their transactions, so that they can submit these expenses with their employee expense reports.
= Employee expense reports containing receipts allow business managers, businesses and companies to identify and monitor employee expenses; and to also enable great accountability between the employer and the employee.
= With the generation of receipts and submission of the expense reports, companies can also manage and calculate their tax reconciliations against the expenses.
= Receipts play a vital role in business and tax audits. During audit sessions, auditors and accountants typically check through all business documents, reports and statements, including receipts, to ensure that the company's finances are in order and that all expenses, profits and losses are accounted for.

Receipts entail a unique set of requirements and functions for merchants.
Everytime a merchant participates in a sales transaction they have to:

= Provide a receipt to the customer to show completion of the sales transaction.

= Receipts are proof of exchanging titles of ownership from the merchant to the consumer through the act of a sales transaction.

= Ensure there is sufficient available stock of printer rolls and ink cartridges, so that they can produce a receipt for every transaction at a physical POS terminal location.
The cost of buying printer supplies will vary depending on foot-traffic to the merchant's business.
= If the method of payment is cash, merchants only print of one copy of the receipt, which is given to the customer. If the method of payment is via a credit or debit card, merchants typically print of two copies of the receipt; one copy will go to the customer and the other copy will remain with the merchant. Typically at the end of each business day, merchants will use these copies of receipts to do their daily sales reconciliations and to submit their request for credit and debit card payments. The purpose of reconciling is to separate each card plastic payment receipt so that they can process all payments relative to Amex, MasterCard, Visa and Debit cards, prior to sending off for batch payment processing/
requests.

= Merchants need all receipts to calculate the taxes applicable to the sales of their goods and or services, so that they can submit the correct amount of taxes.

= Merchants are also required to keep all receipts: (i) In the event they have to deal with a credit card payment dispute (otherwise referred to as a chargeback); (ii) For purposes of preparing for a business and or tax audit, back dating 7 years.

Although receipts prove to be quite important, there nevertheless are challenges too that are associated with them. Business managers, employees, merchants and companies have to manually prepare and process the submission of reports and other types of requests using actual or copies of the paper receipts; they also have to safely keep and store paper receipts for up to 7 years. Merchants have to bear the burden of costs to ensure that there are sufficient stocks of printer receipts supplies. Furthermore, heavily associated with this are impact to costs relating to administration and storage, as well as impacts to work productivity. Also, there are always risks associated with data entry errors, which can occur from the manual submission of the employee expense reports. This can cause allot of issues in the long-run as final calculations may likely get skewed and lead to inaccurate reporting. Businesses and merchants are also required to keep all documents, statements and receipts related to company expenses for up to 7 years, so that they may be able to prepare for business and tax auditing purposes. If these receipts get lost in the process then the company has no official record of expenses made.

Whenever a merchant processes a plastic payment card (Credit and or Debit) during a buyer and seller transaction process, depending on the technical capabilities of their POS terminal device (combination of hardware and software) they are able to capture, identify and transmit certain sets of unique transactional information to the Acquirer. In the payment industry this is often referred to as Merchant Level Data. Presently in the industry, there are 3 levels of merchant data.
Level 1 Merchant Data is the basic level and Level 3 Merchant Data currently contains the most detailed list of transactional information:

= Level 1 data contains: Credit Card Number & Expiry Date, Billing Address, Postal/Zip Code, Invoice Number, Merchant Name, Transaction Amount and Date/Time.

= Level 2 data contains: Credit Card Number & Expiry Date, Billing Address, Postal/Zip Code, Invoice Number, Merchant Name, Transaction amount, Date, Tax Amount, Customer Code, Merchant Postal Code, Tax Identification, Merchant Minority Code and Merchant State Code = Level 3 Data contains: Credit Card Number & Expiry Date, Billing Address, Postal/Zip Code, Invoice Number, Merchant Name, Transaction amount, Date, Tax Amount, Customer Code, Merchant Postal Code, Tax Identification, Merchant Minority Code, Merchant State Code, Item Product Code, Item Description, Item Quantity, Item Unit of Measure, Item Extended Amount, Item Net/Gross Indicator, Item Tax Amount, Item Tax Rate, Item Tax Identifier, Item Discount Indicator, Ship from Postal Code, Freight Amount, Duty Amount, Destination Postal Code, Destination Country Code and Alternate Tax Amount Prior Art -These are prior patents that address the area of electronic receipts and have been cited and referenced:

= Title -"Electronic Receipt Card System", Patent Number - 2605944 This invention pertains to an "Electronic Receipt Card System consisting of a debit or credit card linked to a secure online website". "Swiping a debit or credit card linked to the ERCS
at all points of sale will send electronic copies of receipts to a central server".

This patent does not address or disclose any method of how the debit or credit card will be 'linked' to the ERCS environment or what the role of the Cardholders or the merchant will be in the allowing such a 'link' to be possible. Furthermore the way the invention presents itself; it appears that the invention can only link the credit or debit card and not both. The invention makes no reference to any Merchant Level Data or any other electronic transactional data. Nor does the invention mention creating electronic receipts in a real-time, and is unknown how long it will take for the electronic receipts to be made available for the customer to access. It is unclear if the invention is made possible through either an add-on hardware instalment that is compatible with the pre-existing POS
terminal device and or if the invention is software based. As the technical processes and methodologies are unclear, the invention does not mention nor explain how the merchant will identify an ERCS linked debit or credit card(s), especially amongst non-ERCS linked cards, nor does the invention address any e-Commerce environment or any other payment method such as mobile and contactiess payments. Also, the invention does not have tax calculating capabilities (only mentions importing to tax preparation softwares), or any other reporting capabilities such as expense management or sales management. This invention only speaks to the consumer market, as there is no mention of any services, benefits or features to the merchant community, other than cost savings. There is no mention about if merchants can access any electronic receipts or how this invention will impact their post sales management of receipts, especially when they are required to submit their sale for payment to the acquirer banks. This invention does not mention any merchant driven marketing promotional programs that can be developed as a direct result of having a wealth of customer data through the electronic receipts, or how the discounts offers are redeemed at the POS environment.

This invention is also a 'Dead Application', as off 2009-06-29.

= Title -"Electronic Transaction Receipt System and Method"; Patent Number -This patent is strictly addressing the means of embedding a hyperlink for allowing secondary purchases within an electronic receipt that has been generated.
The hyperlink can be associated with an inducement to make a secondary purchase of an item commercially related to the primary purchase, such as accessories, items used in the same field, manuals and other items.

This patent focuses on a consumer facing only solution by generating and embedding hyperlinks for secondary purchases and offers within primary electronic receipts that have been created from the e-commerce environment. This invention does not directly address the generation of electronic receipts from physical retail POS terminal locations, nor does it focus on or offer any merchant solutions. This invention does not even reference if the electronic receipts with hyperlinked embedded (secondary) offers will be offered in real-time or seamlessly. There is no reference if there are notification capabilities to the consumer notifying either or both subscribing consumers or merchants for the arrival and or delivery of their respective electronic receipts. This invention does not even offer supplementary accounts with the primary account structure, nor does it make any reference to spend alert capabilities. The invention does not contain any business to business directory capabilities, or blogging capabilities for consumers to use. Furthermore the invention does not address the means of new customer acquisition at the POS.

This invention is a 'Dead Application' as off 2008-02-04.

= Title - "Point of Sale Electronic Receipt Generation"; Patent Number -This patent refers to the means and process of receiving instructions for receipt generation and receipt destination prior to actually generating electronic receipts directly from the Point of Sale (POS) and transmitting the electronic receipts to a receipt destination. The invention also includes the means of a primary key to act as a unique transaction identifier.
The invention also proposes to includes a method of collecting tax data from the electronic receipts Although the patent addresses the means of generating electronic receipts, it is still very vague and unclear. The invention strongly suggests a heavy dependency upon receiving a command of receipt instructions, including receipt destination, but it is unclear from where these elements will derive from. This invention does not mention the generation of electronic receipts in Real-time; the seamless creation of electronic receipts; or specifically using Merchant Level Data that is passed between the merchant and acquirer in order to fully extrapolate transactional data. The invention only references a limited range of payment methods. The invention refers to the electronic receipt containing images of the buyer's method of payment (such as face of credit card, cash or cheque); it is not clear if the invention includes an image capturing device at the POS. Furthermore the invention does not include the creation of supplementary accounts within the primary account structure. The invention does not capabilities to allow merchants to offer target profiling marketing offers to consumers. The invention does not include or mention any spend alert trigger capabilities. Also, this invention does not offer or mention capabilities to create business to business directories (both static and customizable). The invention does not offer the means of allowing new customer acquisition to take place at the POS
environments. There are no means of allowing the customers to have blogging capabilities.
The invention does not provide real-time notifications for when the electronic receipts are made. Lastly, the invention does not reference merchants having access to the electronic receipts for reconciling the daily sale with; it is very unclear that through this invention, how merchants will manage their post sales process and tracking if there are no means of having access to electronic receipts.

Description of how invention addresses technical problem -The invention will address the technical issues as the design and focus is to seamlessly capture transactional data in real-time, directly from subscribing merchants' Point of Sale (POS) environments, formatting it in to electronic receipts, then making it immediately available to access in the destination accounts belonging to both subscribing customer and subscribing merchant. Simultaneously to delivering the formatted electronic receipts will the delivery of notifications to the subscribing customer; all in real-time.

For all customers who wish to receive electronic receipts and for those merchants who wish to issue electronic receipts, the prerequisites are for them to each create an online destination account on the company website. Within this prerequisite stage, customers and merchants will be required to provide personal background information and additional pre-determined key data elements that will allow for payment of funds deriving from their credit account, debit account and/or funds account. Once the destination account has been established subscribing customers will be able to seamlessly receive electronic receipts in real-time from subscribing merchants.
During the account setup stage, subscribing merchants will be able to download, integrate and install the computer-related invention and related software and hardware platforms within their Point of Sale (POS) environments, for both physical retail locations and all e-commerce environments, which will allow them the means of ultimately participating on the process of providing subscribing customers with electronic receipts.

The seamless process will begin with an initial direct engagement of the subscribing customer making and completing a sales transaction payment process with a subscribing merchant at the merchant's POS environment. The computer related invention, along with its software and hardware platforms, remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices and business methods will seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the customer's qualification, eligibility and destination account; all in real-time.
Immediateiy upon execution, transactional data will be captured at the subscribing merchant's POS

environments, in real-time and securely transmitted to a remote secured central repository database where it will then be transmitted to a data processing platform to prepare, format and create the presentment of electronic receipts and be securely delivered in real-time to the respective subscribing customer's and subscribing merchant's destination account. In addition to the delivery of electronic receipts to the aforementioned destination accounts, the respective subscribing customer will receive notifications advising them of the generation and the immediate availability to access the electronic receipts from their accounts.

As stated in the journey above, the objective to for this process to be seamless to all subscribing customers and subscribing merchants, and for the electronic receipts to be made available from the POS environments to the destination accounts in real-time. In this invention, neither customer nor merchant will ever have to initiate any step or act in the initial stages of engaging in each sales transaction or payment process. In addition to all subscribing customers receiving electronic receipts, all subscribing merchants will also receive copies of electronic receipts made relative to their daily sales transactions. Each subscribing customer will be able to access their electronic receipts through their destination account, which they can securely access using a unique identifier and password. Subscribing merchants will also be able to access their daily generated electronic receipts through the same method of having a unique identifier and password for their destination account. Electronic receipts will be safely stored in the remote central repository database, and made accessible for up to 10 years rolling; allowing subscribing business managers, business owners, companies and merchants to access their electronic receipts so that they can prepare for a business and (or) tax audit The target audience of this invention are (i) Customers who comprise of:

= Personal consumers - Who are seeking convenience and new post saies experiences.
= Business managers; business owners; and corporations - Who make business related expenses and wish to have a better receipt management process and system.

= Merchants of all sizes - Who wish to streamline their receipt management processes and systems, post sales administrative procedures and storage and to save on the costs of buying printer supplies.

For payment methods that are not directly associated or connected to the subscribing customers' credit account, debit account (and) or funds account, the subscribing customer can use a hardware token device at the subscribing merchant's POS retail location. The token device will contain their subscription identification, eligibility and destination account details, which provide the means and process of having their transactional data captured and electronic receipts generated in the same fashion as mentioned above. The token device would be identified to the subscribing merchant's POS terminal device in one fashion or another. Suffice to say this will not be a seamless generation of electronic receipts.

Furthermore, this invention will deliver a 360 degree benefit to all:
= Electronic receipts created seamiessly and in real-time.

= Neither subscribing customers nor subscribing merchants will ever have to implement any steps, methods or procedures in a sales transactions involving an electronic bill payment that leads to funds deriving from credit account, debit account and (or) funds account.

= Creation of Supplementary Accounts; within the primary subscribing customer account structure.

= Subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders can opt to receive additional versions of their electronic receipts via their cellular or smart phone SMS
text channel; all in real-time.

= For every sales transaction, simultaneous and real-time delivery of electronic receipts to both subscribing customer's and subscribing merchant's destination accounts.
In the event that supplementary accountholders generate the electronic receipts, they and the primary accountholder would receive a copy the electronic receipt. Furthermore the primary accountholder will receive notifications via their SMS text channel, an email and a message in their destination account.
= The invention will securely store each transactional data and electronic receipt for 10 (ten) years rolling each time a single transactional data and electronic receipt is created; allowing the subscribers to access their receipts anytime they wish too.

= Creation of sales management reporting capabilities, aimed to help subscribing merchants effectively and efficiently conduct their daily card sales reconciliations -allowing them to allocate more time to their business and reduce administrative costs.

= Creation of tax management reporting capabilities, where subscribing customers and subscribing merchants can identify their respective tax calculations pertaining to their good and (or) services they either purchased or sold.

= Creation of expense management reporting capabilities, where subscribing customers can view both dashboard level expenses and conduct detailed dynamic reports and searches on electronic receipts under their account structure. Employees who have been assigned a supplementary account can create and submit employee expense reports on their business related expenses, as well as conduct dynamic searches only with their own supplementary account. Subscribing personal consumers will only be able to view static expense reports based on calendar cycles.

= Creation of spend alerts, informing subscribing customers that their spend threshold limit has been reached. Notifications would be sent out immediately once the alert has been triggered. The spend alerts will be created using multiple fields by subscribing customers.

= Creation of spend centric programs, where the invention will allow subscribing merchants to implement target profile marketing initiatives (merchant discount offers), to ultimately create stronger traction for customer loyalty and higher sales revenues.

= Creation of real-time notifications to be sent out to each subscribing customer for the generation and available access for each of their electronic receipt to their destination account. This will be done through the following channels: a message posted to the destination account; an email sent to their personal email inbox; and (or) via SMS text messaging (if they've opted for this feature). Also, subscribing customers will also receive further notifications through the above mentioned channels if they have been targeted by subscribing merchants with target profile marketing initiatives. Additionally, subscribing customers who have created spend alert triggers will also receive notifications through the same aforementioned channels.
= Creation of trading capabilities to allow and enable all subscribing customers to trade/exchange/swap their received merchant discount offers with other subscribers.

= Creation of an online business to business directory listings and business to consumer directory listing; with virtual mapping capabilities. Designed for merchants to sign-up and benefit from the listing. This will be made available on the subscribing customers' home account page.

= Subscribing customers will also be able to create their own customized business to business directory listings and business to consumer directory listings, within their destination account.

= Subscribing customers will also be able to post textual comments and ratings on a shared/common area on the website, about their most recent experience at a subscribing merchant. This will be seen by all subsribers.

= As electronic receipts are created in real-time and immediately followed by notifications to the subscriber (also in real-time), the invention has the means of becoming a real-time fraud detection tool. In the event that a subscribing customer's credit account, debit account and (or) fund account has been compromised, they will receive an electronic receipt with trigger notifications. Once the subscribing customer receives the notification(s) they can act on contacting their bank(s) immediately to put a freeze on their account(s); giving the subscribing customer a great sense of control.

Lastly, the invention will also identify non-subscribing customers at the subscribing merchants' POS
location(s). This will drive the opportunity growing new acquisition of subscribing customers, directly from the frontline. Whenever the invention does not identify a subscriber, it will automatically assume that the person is a non-subscriber and will prompt the person through a message via the POS terminal or via the e-Commerce platforms if they would like to receive electronic receipts. If the prospect would like to begin receiving electronic receipts, they will follow some basic steps directed on the POS environment/platform to show acknowledgment and to provide their consent in allowing the invention to collect some key data elements from their method of payment/ EBPP (Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment). By retrieving their data elements the invention would engage in steps to create and set-up an account for the new customer.

Detailed Description of Invention -To aid the detailed description of the invention: the embodiments of the invention will be referenced in the following drawings:

= Fig 1. Steps in generating electronic receipts = Fig 2. Consumers' Payment via Credit and or Debit Account = Fig 3. Consumers' Payment via Cash, Cheque, Gift Cards and Store Credits = Fig 4: Business Managers' Payment via Credit and Debit Account = Fig 5. Business Managers' Payment via Cash, Cheque, Gift Cards, and Store Credits = Fig 6. Merchants' environment = Fig 7. Electronic Receipts: Search Fields = Fig 8. Creating Reports = Fig 9. Customer Acquisition at the POS environment For clarity, the following will be referenced in the body of the detailed description:
= 'Subscribing Customers' (ABM) will be inclusive of:

o Personal Consumers (A).
o Business Managers (BM).
o Business Owners (BM).

o Small Medium Enterprises (SME's) (BM).
o Corporations (BM).

o Personal Supplementary Accountholders (SOSA2) o Business Supplementary Accountholders (SOSA3) = There will be instances where the above reference will be further differentiated as:
o 'Personal Consumers' (A) and 'Business Managers' (BM).

o'Business Managers' (BM) will be inclusive of Business Managers, Business Owners, SME's and Corporations.

= Subscribing Merchants (M) will refer to merchants of all sizes.

The aim and intention of this invention is to eventually replace and migrate all receipts from paper to electronic. The invention will be composed of a computer-related invention, comprising of software and hardware platforms (52) that will seamlessly detect, capture, identify and verify the subscribing customer's (ABM) qualification, eligibility and destination account, and capture transactional data (S3) from the Point of Sales (POS) environment (B BT); all in real-time.
Immediately upon capturing the transactional data, the invention will transmit the transactional data (S4) to the remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices (CRDB1); all in real-time. Once the transactional data has been received, the information will be immediately transmitted to data processing platforms to generate, format and prepare the presentment of electronic receipts (ERDB1); all in real-time. Immediately upon the generation of electronic receipts, the subscribing customer (ABM) will receive real-time notifications, as well as the electronic receipts being delivered (SS) to the destination accounts (CPA1/BMPA1/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPA1) belonging to the respective subscribing customer (ABM) and subscribing merchant (M); all in real-time.

Electronic receipts (ER1 ER2) will be created seamlessly in real-time directly from the POS
environment (B BT), whether it via merchants' (M) e-Commerce site pages or their POS terminal device(s) within the store location(s). The invention of electronic receipts (ERI 2) will be targeted towards 'Personal Consumers' (A),'Business Managers' (BM) and 'Merchants' (M) of all sizes.
Electronic receipts (ER1 ER2) will contain a detailed list of transactional data and elements that is typically passed from the merchant (M) to the Acquirer. The invention will capture transactional data (B3 BT3) that is greater than Level 1 Merchant Data directly from subscribing merchants' (M) POS environments (B BT), during the payment process of the sales transaction.
All transactional data (B3 BT3) and electronic receipts (ERI ER2) will include the following fields and will expand on further fields as the payment industry emerges:

= Subscriber's Name and Account information = Subscriber's Billing Address & Postal/Zip Code = Purchase Invoice Number = Merchant Name = Merchant ID #

= Merchant Details o Merchant Address and Postal Code o Merchant Telephone (and URL address where applicable) o Server Name o Table # (where applicable) o Check # (where applicable) o POS Terminal #
= Date & Time = Charge/Refund = Method of Payment and Expiry Date (where applicable) o Credit Card o Charge Card o Debit Card o Smart Card o Contactless Payment o Mobile Payment o Biometric Payment o Gift Card o Store Credit o Other o Method of Payment Data and (or) Account Data o Name registered on method of payment = Retrieval #
= Trace/Reference #
= Approval #
= Authorization #
= Transaction amount details o Sub Total o Tax Amount (and or Alternate Tax Amount) o Tip/gratuity Amount o Total Amount = Customer Code (where applicable) = Tax Identification = Merchant Minority Code = Merchant Provincial/State Code = Item Product Code = Item/Service Description o Detailed Line Description of Items/Services Purchased o Item/Services Quantity o Item/Services Unit of Measure o Item/Services Extended Amount o Item/Service Net/Gross Indicator o Item/Service Tax Amount o Item/Service Tax Rate o Item/Service Tax Identifier o Item/Service Discount Indicator = Ship from Postal Code Freight Amount = Customs Tax and Duty Amount = Destination Postal Code = Destination Country Code = Other(s) The process of creating electronic receipts (ERI ER2) will be seamless within the transaction process to both the subscribing merchants (M) and subscribing customers (ABM).
All electronic receipts (ER1 ER2) will be delivered to the subscribing customers (ABM) and subscribing merchants (M) in real-time. All references of seamless processes will be associated with payments being made at the subscribing merchants' (M) POS Environments (e) with funds linked back to the subscribing customers' Credit Accounts, Debit Accounts and (or) Fund Accounts (A1). Any references to method of payments made with cash, cheque, gift card, store credit or others (C1-C5) will not be seamless as the subscribing customer will present a hardware token at the subscribing merchants' (M) POS environment, which will be read by the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms. When personal consumers (A) and business managers (BM) sign up for the services of receiving electronic receipts, they will be required to provide key data elements within their account profile to complete the account setup.
These data elements will be associated to their credit account, debit account and (or) fund account(s) (Al) from where the payment and (or) funds will derive from, for the purchase of their transactions. They will also be required to provide personal information about themselves within their account profile.

The process will begin with the direct engagement in the form of a payment process (81 BT1) for a sales transaction between the subscribing customer (ABM) and the subscribing merchant (M), at the POS environments (B BT). During the payment process, the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms - which will be embedded within the merchants' (M) POS platform B BT) - will automatically and seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the subscribing customer's (ABM) qualification, eligibility and destination account for having their transactional data captured (B2 BT2).
During this process, key data elements will be detected, identified, captured and tracked from the subscribing customer's method of payment, via the computer-related inventions. Method of payments (A2-9, C1-C4, &
AMP1) will include cash, credit cards, charge cards, cheques, debit cards, gift cards, purchasing cards, store credits, smart cards and all new emerging payment technologies including Mobile Payments, Contactless Payments and or Biometric Payments, and others. The during the process the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms, will also detect if the subscribing customer is either a personal consumer (A), a business manager (BM) or supplementary accountholders (SOSA21SOSA3).

Once the subscribing customer's (ABM) transactional data has been captured (B3 BT3) in real-time at the subscribing merchants (M) POS environment (B BT) the transactional data is immediately transmitted (B4 BT4) to the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices (hereafter referred to as the Central Repository Database) (CRDB1).
Immediately thereafter, the transactional data is transmitted from the central repository database (CRDB1) to the data processing platforms (hereafter referred to as Electronic Receipt Database) (ERDBI) to initiate the generation, formation and preparation of presentment of electronic receipts (ERI ER2) for the respective subscribing customer (A) and subscribing merchant (M) who were involved in the sales transaction; all in real-time. Once the electronic receipts (ERI
ER2) have been created (ERBD1), these will be securely transmitted to the subscribing customers (ABM) which they can then securely access via their destination accounts (CPA1/BMPA1/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPA1), on the company's website. Again, reinforcing the fact that within the entire journey of a payment process where the method of payments (Al) lead to the subscribing customers' (ABM) credit account;
debit account; and (or) their funds account, neither merchant (M) and or subscribing customer (ABM) will ever have to implement any steps or procedures to contribute to the capture of transactional data (B3 BT3) and creation of electronic receipts (ER1 ER2).
Each electronic receipt (ERI ER2) will be stored for up to 10 (ten) years rolling (ERD81), in order to meet the preparation and requirements for business and tax audits.

As the creation of electronic receipts (ERI ER2) will consequently impact 3 market segments, it is important to understand how the inventions will create each of their customer journeys and add enable new capabilities:

(i) Personal Consumers (A) who are everyday shoppers making personal consumption of goods and (or) services.

= As a direct result of the inventions, personal consumers (A) will never ever need to keep and store their paper receipts again. Transactional data will be seamlessly created in real-time(83 BT3), directly from the subscribing merchants' (M) POS terminal device and or e-Commerce platform(s) (B BT) and transmitted (84 BT4), to the company's proprietary central repository database (CRD81). From the central repository database (CRD81), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERD81) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (ER1) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (CPA1/SOSA2) belonging to personal consumers (A).
Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts (ER) to the personal consumers' (A) destination accounts (CPA1/SOSA2), notifications (S5a-c) will be sent out in real-time to the personal consumers (A), advising them of the creation and immediate availability of their electronic receipts (ER1). If personal consumers (A) have opted to receive SMS Text messages, they will also receive additional formatted copies of their electronic receipts directly to their cell/smart phone, in real-time (S5a). Note: All subscribing merchants (M) will also receive copies of every electronic receipt (ER1) that is created through their sales; for every electronic receipt (ER1) created, one copy will go to the consumer (A) and the other to them.

= Each subscribing consumer (A) will receive an online membership account (CPA1) on the company's website where they can access and view all (and any) of the electronic receipts (ER1) that has been created as a result of their purchase from a subscribing merchant (M). The inventions will securely store each electronic receipt (ER1) for 10 years rolling from the time and date each receipt was created, all within the repository database, allowing personal consumers (A) to access their electronic receipts (ERI) anytime via their online account (CPA1/SOSA2).

= Personal consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) will be able to access; search; view; print and download static electronic receipts (ERI) from their user identification and password protected destination account (CPA1/SOSA2).

= Electronic receipts (ER1) will contain transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant data.

= Consumers (A) will be able to create supplementary accounts (SOSA1) under their primary account. As each supplementary accountholder (SOSA2) creates electronic receipts (ER1), it will be sent to the remote electronic platforms and (or) devices (CRD81/ERD81) and registered under the primary account (the grandfather account) and made accessible to both the primary and supplementary accountholders (CPA1/SOSA2). The primary account (CPA1) will always remain the hierarchal account and controller (the grandfather account).

= Consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) will be able to view static, expense reports (ER1) covering set calendar cycles.

= If in the event a consumer (A) or supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) has become dissatisfied with the product or service rendered to them, they can simply access the respective electronic receipt (ER1) related to that product or service, print it and return back to the store to exercise the merchant's Customer Return Policy.

= The inventions will facilitate the means of allowing consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to view a business directory list of subscribing merchants (828D1), and also build a customizable business directory list (B2BD2) of subscribing merchants (M) that they've recently or normally shop at. This list will be created and made available to access on their destination account (CPA1/SOSA2). Within this function, the inventions will also offer some alternative merchant recommendations along with mapping capabilities via the hypermedia interfaces.

= The inventions will allow subscribing consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to post their ratings and opinions on the company website about their most recent visit and experience at a subscribing merchant (M). This will be seen by fellow subscribing customers (ABM) all via the company website and their hypermedia interfaces.

= Through the inventions, subscribing personal consumers (A) will also have the option of setting up 'Spend Alerts' (SA1) on either their own overall account (CPA1) and or on each supplementary account (SOSA2), allowing notifications (S5a b c) to be sent in real-time once spend thresholds have been reached. The spend thresholds will be determined by the personal consumer (A). Spend alerts (SA1) can be set by: Calendar time;
merchant name; merchant category; geographic location; expense amount; method of payment;
by overall spend threshold amounts at the primary account level and by spend threshold amounts on overall supplementary accounts (SOSA2).

= The inventions will allow subscribing merchants (M) to create target profile marketing campaigns to target subscribing consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) with incented discounted offers, enticing them to return back for more business. Targeted subscribing personal consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) will receive notifications (S5a-c) informing them of a newly arrived offer (MOI).

= The inventions will also allow subscribing consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to trade their offers (TMO1) with other subscribing customers (ABM), all via their destination account and hypermedia interfaces.

= As electronic receipts (ER1) are created in real-time and immediately followed by notifications (S5a b c d) to the subscriber (also in real-time), the inventions has the means of becoming a real-time fraud detection tool. In the event that a subscriber's credit, debit and or fund accounts (AI) is/are being compromised, once the subscriber receives the notification(s) they can act on contacting their bank(s) immediately to put a freeze on their account(s).

= The inventions will also enable personal consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to create other (OT1) new features and capabilities.

= This invention will bring new experiences to buyers (ABM), most especially in the post sales period.

(ii) Business Managers (BM):

= As a direct result of the inventions, business manager (BM) will never ever need to keep and store their paper receipts again. Transactional data will be seamiessly created in real-time(63 BT3), directly from the subscribing merchants' (M) POS terminal device and or e-Commerce platform(s) (B BT) and transmitted (B4 BT4), to the company's proprietary central repository database (CRDBI). From the central repository database (CRDB1), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERDB1) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (ER2) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (BMPA1/SOSA3) belonging to business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3). Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts (ER2) to the business managers' (BM) destination accounts (BMPA1/SOSA3), notifications (S5a-c) will be sent out in real-time to the business managers (BM), advising them of the creation and immediate availability of their electronic receipts (ER2). If business managers (BM) have opted to receive SMS Text messages, they will also receive additional formatted copies of their electronic receipts directly to their cell/smart phone, in real-time (SRa). Note: All subscribing merchants (M) will also receive copies of every electronic receipt (ER2) that is created through their sales; for every electronic receipt (ER2) created, one copy will go to the business manager (BM) and the other to them.

= Each subscribing business manager (BM) will receive a primary online account (BMPA1).
They will also have the ability to create and assign online supplementary accounts (SOSA1) to each of their employees. As each employee generates electronic receipts (ER2), it will be sent to the remote electronic platforms and (or) devices (CRDB1/ERDB1) and registered under the primary account (the grandfather account) and made accessible to both the primary and supplementary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3).
The primary account (BMPA1) will always remain the hierarchal account and controller (the grandfather account).
= Electronic receipts (ER2) will contain transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant data, as aforementioned.

= Through the creation of electronic receipts (ER2), employees will be able to safely access their company expensed related receipts anytime through their supplementary accounts (SOSA3) on the company's website. This will mitigate any risk of losing paper receipts.
The inventions will securely store each electronic receipt for 10 (ten) years rolling as each receipt is being created. These receipts will be securely stored within the central repository database (CRD81), allowing business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) to access their electronic receipts (ER2) anytime via their destination account(s), especially in the event being audited for business and (or) tax purposes.

= The inventions will allow primary and secondary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3) to view, download and print each desired electronic receipt (ER2) from their secured destination account. If in the event they have become dissatisfied with the product or service rendered to them, they can simply access the respective electronic receipt (ER2) related to that product or service, print it and return back to the store to exercise the merchant's Customer Return Policy.

= Each time supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) create electronic receipts (ER2) they are sent to the primary and supplementary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3).
Simultaneously to the aforementioned, both levels of accounts will receive real-time notifications (S5a-c) informing them that an electronic receipt (ER2) has been generated via their registered method of payment(s) (Al) and that is immediately available to access. The primary account will be the 'grandfather account' and subsequently will receive notifications (S5a-c) for each generation of electronic receipt. These notifications will be delivered through hypermedia interface channels.
Notifications (S5a-d) to both the primary and supplementary accounts will create immediate and transparency and accountability between the employee and the employer (and the company).
= Through the inventions, subscribing business managers (BM) will also have the option of setting up 'Spend Alerts' (SA1) on either their own overall account (BMPA1) and or on each supplementary account (SOSA3), allowing notifications (SSa b c) to be sent in real-time once spend thresholds have been reached. The spend thresholds will be determined by each employer (BM). Spend alerts (SA1) can be set by: Calendar time;
merchant name; merchant category; geographic location; expense amount; method of payment; by overall spend threshold amounts at the primary account level and by spend threshold amounts on overall supplementary accounts (SOSA3).

= Business Managers (BMPA1) will be able to create customized 'hierarchal' reports -Expense and Tax (EMR1/TMR1) - allowing them to get a very clear overview of their entire company related business expenses and taxation accounts. Reports can be created by using one or a combination of the following fields (ERSF1): Time (TF1);
Merchant name (MN1); Merchant category/SIC Code (MCCl); Geographic location (GL1);
Payment method (PM1); Account level (AL1); Tax Breakout and calculations (TBC1);
Dollar amount (DA1); Tagging (TG1) and Other (OT1). Reports (EMR1/TMR1) will be able to provide great detailed search results, as well as provide a graphic illustrated dashboard overview. These reports (EMR1/TMR1) can be printed, sent as an attachment and or downloaded to the desktop or a computer device.

= As the inventions creates and stores electronic receipts (CRDBI), supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) will be able to create employee expense management reports (EEMR1), removing the need of collecting and submitting paper receipts. The inventions will reduce time for creating and submitting these reports and provide more opportunity to allow employees to be highly productive, while saving on administrative costs.

= The inventions will allow subscribing companies to perform faster and accurate tax reconciliation reports, as each transactional data will capture detailed tax amounts and breakouts. Through the creation of the tax management reports (TMR1), Business managers and supplementary accountholders (BIVI SOSA3) will be able to have their tax amounts identified from each electronic receipt, populated and then have a total tax amount determined for any criteria of time. The inventions will also allow business managers (BM) to directly submit these tax amounts and dues to the Government Tax Revenue Agency (TSI), from their destination accounts.

= The inventions will also allow business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) create any formatted report generations (OTR1) they so desire by using search fields (ERSF1), all via their destination accounts which can be accessed through their hypermedia interfaces.

= The inventions will facilitate the means of allowing all primary and secondary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3) to view a business directory (B26D1), and to build a customizable business directory list of subscribing merchants (B2BD2) that they've recently or normally shop at. The directory list will be created and made available to access on their destination account. Within this function, the inventions will also offer some alternative merchant (M) recommendations along with mapping capabilities, via the business managers and supplementary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3) hypermedia interfaces.

= The inventions will allow primary and secondary accountholders (BMPA1/SOSA3) to view blogs and post their ratings and opinions on a dedicated area on company website (MV1/AMV1), so that they can share their most recent experience at a subscribing merchant. This will be seen by fellow subscribing business managers and supplementary accountholders (BM SOSA3) via the company website and hypermedia interfaces.

= The inventions will allow subscribing merchants (M) to create target profile marketing campaigns to target business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) with incented discounted offers, enticing them to return back for more business. Targeted subscribing business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) will receive notifications (S5a-c) informing them of a newly arrived offer (MO1).

= The inventions will also allow business managers (BM) and their supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) the means to trade their offers (TMOI), provided by subscribing merchants (M), with other subscribing customers (ABM), all via their destination account and hypermedia interfaces.
= As electronic receipts (ER2) are created in real-time and immediately followed by notifications (S5a b c d) to the subscriber (also in real-time), the inventions has the means of becoming a real-time fraud detection tool. In the event that a subscriber's credit, debit and or fund accounts (Al) is/are being compromised, once the business manager (BM) and/or supplementary accountholder (SOSA3) receives the notification(s) they can act on contacting their bank(s) immediately to put a freeze on their account(s).
= The inventions will also enable business managers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) to create other (OT1) new features and capabilities.

= The inventions will create new POS, post sales, new business expense management experience and allow for significant cost savings and ROI's.

(i) Merchants (M): Of all sizes.

= As a direct result of the inventions, subscribing merchants (M) will eventually never ever have to issue paper based receipts, as this computer-related inventions comprising of software and hardware platforms will capture transactional data(B3/BT3) each time a sales transaction takes place, with a subscribing customer (AMB), directly at their POS
environment(s) (B BT), both seamlessly and in real-time. Immediately thereafter, the transactional data is securely transmitted (B4 BT4) to the remote electronic storage environments, platform and (or) devices (CRDB1); hereafter referred to as proprietary central repository database. From the central repository database (CRDB1), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERDB1) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (ERI ER2) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (CPA1/BMPA1/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPA1) belonging to subscribing customers (ABM). Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts (ERl ER2) to the destination accounts (CPAIBMPAI/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPA1), notifications (S5a-c) will be sent out in real-time to the subscribing customer (ABM), advising them of the creation and immediate availability of their electronic receipts (ER1 ER2). If the subscribing customer (ABM) has opted to receive SMS Text messages, they will also receive additional formatted copies of their electronic receipts directly to their cell/smart phone, in real-time (S5a). Note: All subscribing merchants (M) will also receive copies of every electronic receipt (ER1 ER2) that is created through their sales;

for every electronic receipt (ER1 ER2) created, one copy will go to the subscribing customer (ABM) and the other to them.

= Each subscribing merchant (M) will receive an destination account (MPA1), where they can access, search, view, print and download all (and any) of the electronic receipts (ER1 ER2) that has been created as a result of their sales.

= Electronic receipts (ERI ER2) will contain transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant data, as aforementioned.

= The inventions will securely store each electronic receipt for 10 (ten) years rolling as each receipt is being created. These receipts will be securely stored within the central repository database (CRD81), which means merchants (M) will never have to deal with psychical administrative management of paper based receipts or absorb costs associated with storing actual sales receipts/slips.

= Depending on the scale of the merchant (M) they may likely have to physically reconcile and calculate daily sales generated by payment type (A1-A9/C1-C4), and this involves them separating and calculating sales generated by each plastic payment card type (e.g. -Amex, Discover Card, Diners CIub,1CB Cards, MasterCard and Visa). These computer-related inventions will enable subscribing merchants (M) to effectively manage their daily sales reconciliations, by allowing them to create sales reconciliation reports (SMR1). Through these daily generated reports, sales reconciliations will be automatically reconciled and calculated by all payment method type. Merchants (M) will be able to spend more time and effort on their business sales and less time and costs on the administration.

= Through the computer-related inventions, further encompassing of software and hardware platforms, subscribing merchants (M) will significantly save on costs for not ever having to pay for printer supplies (printer rolls and ink cartridges), as the inventions will eventually replace paper receipts and the means of producing them.

= As businesses are required to keep receipts and other sales related documents for 7 years rolling, in the case of having a business/tax audit, the inventions will keep and securely store the merchants' sales (electronic receipts) for this duration (CRDB1 ERDB1). Subscribing merchants (M) will be able to access this data on their destination account (MPA1) at anytime.

= The inventions will simplify and streamline the process of addressing chargeback disputes, as electronic receipts will be easily identified, tracked and electronically transmitted to the Acquiring Bank, versus enduring the current paper trail and postage system, which is very time consuming. Merchants (M) will be able to reconcile their sales quicker and inexpensively by addressing the charge in question through accessing and quickly identifying the electronic receipt (ERI ER2) via their destination account (MPA1).

= Through the computer-related inventions, subscribing merchants (M) will be able to separate and calculate tax amounts that they owe to the Government Tax Revenue Agencies on the products and services they've sold. Merchants (M) will be able to create tax management reports (TMR1), which will automatically calculate tax breakouts and amounts of their sales. The inventions will also allow merchants (M) to submit these tax amounts and dues directly to the Government Tax Revenue Agency (TS1).

= The inventions will also allow subscribing merchants (M) to create any formatted report generations (OTR1) they so desire by using search fields (ERSF1), all via their destination accounts which can be accessed through their hypermedia interfaces.
= Subscribing merchants (M) will be able to be featured on the company's online business directory (B2BD1). The online business directory will be available to all subscribing customers (ABM) to view and will only feature the subscribing merchants' (M) contact details, such as name, address, telephone number(s)s, fax number(s) and internet address. Furthermore the online business directory will categorize the listings by merchant categories, geographic locations, and will also provide mapping capabilities for listed merchants (M).
= The inventions will allow and create environments and platforms where subscribing merchants can create target profile marketing initiatives to target specific subscribing customers (ABM) with incented discounted offers (MO1). These offers will be sent to the targeted subscribing customers (ABM) through the company's proprietary notification channels (SSa b c), as well as their destination account (CPA1/BMPA1/SOSA2/SOSA3).

= The inventions will create new POS, post sales and merchant (M) experience, as well as allow for cost savings and ROI's.

If the in the event the computer-related inventions - comprising of software and hardware platforms - does not recognize the subscribing customer (ABM), it will automatically assume the customer is a non-subscriber. The sequence of steps for new customer acquisition is referenced in Fig. 10. If the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms, detects that the customer is not a subscriber (P2b), it will begin the process of asking if the prospect would like to apply (P2c). If the prospect provides a response claiming "No" (P2d), then the computer-related inventions and processes would lead to an end (S3). If the prospect provides a response claiming "Yes" (P2e), then the computer-related inventions -comprising of software and hardware platforms - would lead to capturing key data elements from the prospect's EBPP
(P4). Upon capturing, the data will then be transmitted to a secure database (PS), in real-time.
The information in the database will be used to reach out to the prospects to guide them in completing their account setup (P6). If in the event the customer is identified as a subscriber (P2a), the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms, will continue the 'business as usual' procedures (P3) of seamlessly capturing transactional data in real-time and following the processes to ultimately deliver electronic receipts (ER1 ER2) to the destination accounts (CPA1/BMPA1/SOSA2/SOSA3).

There are several components in making the inventions possible, as referenced in Fig. 1 - 11:

= The first component is focused on the means of using the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms, which will be embedded within the POS
environments, to seamlessly capture, identify, verify the subscribing customers' qualification, eligibility and destination account for having their transactional data captured, all in real-time. The process will be initiated with the direct engagement of the subscribing customer participating and using their method of payment in the sales transaction, with the subscribing merchant -S2.

= Once the customer has been identified along with their qualification, eligibility and destination account, the second component is focused on the means of capturing key transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant Data (as aforementioned-S3.

= The third component is directed at allowing the means of securely transmitting the electronic transactional data to the secure remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices, all in real-time, immediately after the payment process has been executed - S4.

= The fourth component is focused on the journey of the transactional data being securely received by the remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices and then transmitted to the data processing platform to prepare, generate, format the presentment of electronic receipts -S5.

= The fifth component is focused on sending real-time notifications to the subscribing customers hypermedia interfaces, to inform them their electronic receipt(s) is available to access - all in real-time -S6.

= The sixth component is focused at securely transmitting the electronic receipt(s) to the destination accounts belonging to the respective subscribing customers and also the respective subscribing merchants, which shall be accessed using unique identifiers and passwords - S7.

= The seventh component is to allow all subscribing customers to view, search, print and download electronic receipts within their respective online membership accounts -ER1 ER2.

= The eighth component is focused on the means of conducting data analysis from the central repository database, to create and develop electronic and non-electronic target profile marketing campaigns and driving these campaigns through the marketing channels - MOI.
= The ninth component is to enable all subscribing consumers, SME's and corporations to trade their recently received offers with other subscribing customers -, = The tenth component is to allow report management capabilities for all subscribing customers - EEMR1/EMRI/SMR1/TMR1.
= The eleventh component is focused on creating an online business directory services for subscribing merchant to list their business, also allowing all subscribing customers to view.
Within this component, there will be mapping capabilities for each listed merchant. Also to enable all subscribing customers to create their own custom business directories with mapping capabilities - 828D1/828D2.

= The twelfth component is focused on creating a dedicated space on the company website to enable all subscribers to view, share and add blogging posts of fellow subscribers' shopping experiences/comments/recommendations and ideas - MV1/AMV1.
= The thirteenth component is focused on allowing the subscriber to create alerts that will be triggered by subscriber-determined fields and parameters -SA1 ERSF1.

= The fourteenth component is to create a new customer acquisition process everytime a customer is identified as a non-subscriber.

Example of intended use -The following an example of intended use of the computer-related inventions.
As the computer-related inventions is able to serve 3 market segments, the following will be an example of a Business Manager:
A small business owner, who has 3 employees, is subscribing to receive electronic receipts for the business expenses that go against his company. Through the subscription, he has an online account and has created 3 supplementary accounts, one each for his employees.
At the time of creating the account, he and his 3 employees were prompted to provide key data elements pertaining to their payment cards, in order to complete the account setup. The key data elements are important as it identifies who they are, their qualification, eligibility and their account for seamlessly receiving electronic receipts, in real-time. At the time of the account set-up, they all opted to receive SMS text notifications and additional electronic receipts via their smart phones.
The business owner buys some products from an office supplies merchant who also is a subscriber to the electronic receipts service. At the checkout the business owner follows the normal procedures to complete the transaction using his business smart card. He inserts his business smart card in to the smart POS device and enters his PIN to proceed with the payment process.
Once the payment has been authorized and completed, the business owner then withdraws this business smart card from the smart POS terminal device, collects his purchased items and leaves.
During this transaction process, no paper receipt was issued from the merchant to the business owner. During the time of completing the transaction, three things instantaneously took place: (i) the computer-related inventions (comprising of software and hardware platforms) detected the business owner's qualification, eligibility and account in order to capture his transactional data relative to the purchase, in real-time; (ii) immediately following the first event, the transactional data was captured and instantly sent to the remote electronic storage environments and data platforms, where it was converted into an electronic receipt; (iii) the business owner received a version of the electronic receipt on his mobile smart phone and was notified that his electronic receipt was sent to his online account. Also, the merchant received a copy of the electronic receipt in their account. These events took place seamlessly and in real-time.
'Employee # 1' made a purchase, buying an airline ticket for an upcoming business trip, from an online travel company named 'Travel XYZ'. She used her supplementary business smart card to complete the transaction, online. She followed the normal procedures for searching her ticket, continued on to the transaction process and entered her supplementary business smart card details on Travel XYZ's e-Commerce web pages. As Travel XYZ is also a subscribing merchant for receiving electronic receipts, they have embedded the computer-related inventions and software platforms in to their e-commerce platform. During the transaction process, the computer-related inventions and software platforms captured, verified and identified that 'Employee # 1' has met the qualification, eligibility and has an account for having her transactional data captured and converted in to an electronic receipt. Furthermore, the computer-related inventions and software platforms also identified her as a supplementary accountholder to the subscribing business owner.
During the time of completing the transaction, three things instantaneously took place: (i) the computer-related inventions (comprising of software and hardware platforms) detected the supplementary accountholder's qualification, eligibility and account in order to capture her transactional data relative to the purchase, in real-time; (ii) immediately following the first event, the transactional data was captured and instantly sent to the remote electronic storage environments and data platforms, where it was converted into an electronic receipt; (iii) the supplementary accountholder received a version of the electronic receipt on her mobile smart phone and was notified that her electronic receipt was sent to her online account, and the business owner received a notification stating that Employee # 1 just created an electronic receipt, expensing $XXX.XX with a merchant called 'Travel XYZ' within the Travel category. Also, the merchant received a copy of the electronic receipt in their account. These events took place seamiessly and in real-time The business owner created a spend alert on 'Employee 2', so that he can closely monitor his company's expense budget. He set a spend alert on 'Employee # 2'by setting the parameters of $250 expense threshold on gasoline costs, in the Gas & Fuel category for the duration of August 15t - August 315Y. During this period, Employee # 2 reached the spend threshold and the business owner was immediately notified through SMS text messaging; an email to his email inbox; and a message was posted on his account. The notifications, which was triggered by threshold being met, informed him that the spend threshold has been reached. Through the spend alert notifications, the business owner was able to take swift action, as he so desires.

Through the invented services, the business owner creates an expense management report through his online account. The report allows him to see a dashboard view and a detailed view of his business expenses. Additionally, the business owner creates a dynamic report enabling him to categorize his expenses by search fields that include: time; merchant category and by his supplementary accounts. Through his report generation he can see that 2 months ago 'Employee #
1' purchased her ticket to destination 'X' for the amount of $XXX.XX, through the travel company named 'Travel XZY'; within the travel (merchant) category. He is also able to see all the subsequent expenses related to the business trip, such as restaurants and taxi fares, which went against the business smart card. In addition to creating expense reports, the business owner also examines the each electronic receipt, which contains full transaction line item details.

At the end of the business day, the office supplies merchant is reconciling his card payments in order to process for payment with the Acquirer. As the merchant is a subscriber, he simply accesses his online account to view his electronic receipts for the day.
Through the computer-related inventions, he has the capability of creating dynamic report generations. He creates his sales management report for the day and is able to separate and categorize all transactions made by each credit and debit card company (e.g. American Express Cards, Discover Cards, Diners Club Cards, MasterCard Cards,lCB Cards, Visa Cards, etc...). Once his entire card payments have been separated, categorised and the amount totalled, his is able to electronically submit this to his Acquirer. This process takes place in a few steps (a few clicks), and dramatically reduces his administrative cost and his time. Consequently, he finds the service provides him a great amount of convenience and a new level of experience for his business and his customers. Consequently, he is able to allocate more productive time to his business. Furthermore, all his receipts are now electronically stored on his online account for 10 years rolling.

Travel XYZ wants to target a specific segment of the market with a promotion.
He submits a request to the 'invented company' containing the description his target profile segment. The 'Invented company' conducts the necessary data mining and search within electronic environments and platforms; identifies and creates the file containing the target profile list of subscribing customers. The travel company sends the marketing creative with the offer to the 'invented company'. The 'Invented company' then executes the delivery of the target profile marketing campaign by sending the offer through notifications directly to the target list of subscribing customers, via the SMS text channel, email channel and to their online accounts.
Employee # 3 receives an offer from a subscribing merchant through the computer-related inventions, and their online accounts, which she finds is off little relevance. Employee # 3 posts her offer on the website associated through her online account, with the intention of trading her offer with another subscribing customer. Another subscribing customer sends Employee # 3 a message to her online account with a proposition to trade his offer with her, which he received from another subscribing merchant. Employee # 3 accepts and electronically sends the official merchant offer to the other subscriber and he does the same. The two subscribers are greatly satisfied as they both found offers which they deem to be highly relevant for their needs. Also, the two subscribing merchants are both satisfied as they met their response rates and target goals for the campaign offer, and also got some valuable insights to their marketing campaign strategies of what effectively worked and what didn't.

Tax season has come around. The business owner, the office supplies merchant and the travel merchant all have to submit their taxes. As all three businesses are subscribing to the services to receive electronic receipts and the added services, they are all able to access their online accounts and create their tax reports on the products and services they either bought or rendered (respectively). This can be done in a matter of a few clicks on their accounts. Furthermore, as the computer-related inventions is registered with the Government Tax Agency, subscribing businesses and merchants are able to directly submit their respective business/commercial taxes for the year, and any year thereafter. By merely having the electronic receipts stored on their online account, these businesses never ever have to physically manage and store paper receipts again - saving them on storage costs, nor do they have to incur accounting/book-keeping costs to have the taxes managed as this will be calculated through the inventions.

As the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms, remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices and business methods also allows the creation of a business directory and the capability of each subscribing customer to create their own custom business directory, the office supplies merchant was able to post an ad for his business on the general business directory. Also through the enhancement of the business directory feature, the business owner was able to create his own custom business directory listings on his online account. The business owner's custom directory consists of subscribing merchants that he tagged and placed in his own business directory. In addition to his own custom business directory, the computer-related inventions also provided the business owner with a list of alternative merchants who offer similar products and services. As an enhanced service to the directory service, the inventions also allowed the business owner to post a rating and a limited text description regarding the services rendered by the office supplies merchant and Travel XYZ. These ratings and text descriptions are available to be seen by other subscribing customers on the company website.

Claims (37)

1 Claims:

1. The method of creating computer-related inventions, will comprise of software and hardware platforms, remote electronic data storage environments; related platforms and/or devices and business methods, which will seamlessly capture and receive all embodiments and pluralities of a transactional data, all in real-time.

2. The method of Claim 1, further comprising of downloading, integrating and installing the computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms within the subscribing merchant's Point of Sale (POS) environments, for both physical retail locations and all e-commerce environments.

3. The method of Claim 1 and 2, further comprising of the initiation for engaging and employing the downloaded, integrated and installed computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware platforms, to automatically and seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the customer's qualification, eligibility and destination account for having their transactional data captured. This will be triggered upon the direct engagement between a subscribing customer and a subscribing merchant during the payment process in a sales transaction that is being processed through the subscribing merchant's POS environments, all in real-time.

4. The method of any preceding Claims, further comprising of the computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms will seamlessly detect, capture, identify and verify the different market segments of subscribing customers for their qualification, eligibility and destination account, of which transactional data will be automatically captured at the subscribing merchant's POS environments, all in real-time.
Such data will include personal consumers; business managers and their assigned employees; merchants and others.

5. The method of Claim 4, further comprising of the computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms include securely and seamlessly routing the transmission of the captured transactional data from the subscribing merchant's POS
environments, to the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices, all in real-time.

6. The method of Claim 5, further comprising of enabling the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices to securely receive each transmission of transactional data in real-time, and archive each generated transactional data consecutively for at least ten (10) years, from the time and date each transactional data was received within the process of the inventions.

7. The method of Claim 6, further comprising of securely transmitting each transactional data from the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices to data processing platforms, which will generate, format and prepare the presentment of electronic receipt(s) for the respective subscribing customer and subscribing merchant who were involved in the sales transaction, all in real-time.

8. The method of Claim 7, further comprising that all subscribing customers and subscribing merchants will each receive electronic receipt(s), in their respective destination account, relative to each sales transaction made at the subscribing merchant's POS
environment, via their hypermedia interfaces, all in real-time.

9. The method of Claim 7 and Claim 8, further comprises of creating unique mobile applications, barcodes and data fields that represent an electronic form of the subscribing customer's electronic receipt(s), which will be seamlessly delivered to the subscribing customers' mobile hypermedia interfaces, in addition to their destination account, all in real-time.

10. The method of Claim 9, further comprising of enabling subscribing merchants to employ and engage the downloaded, integrated and installed computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms within their POS environment to read, scan and identify the presentment of electronic receipt(s), via the subscribing customers' mobile hypermedia interfaces, all in real time.

11. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of sending real-time notifications to the subscribing customers' and subscribing merchants' hypermedia interfaces and destination accounts, will advise them of the generation of their electronic receipt(s) and its immediate availability to access via their hypermedia interfaces.

12. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of presenting and enabling availability and accessibility of electronic receipt(s), via the subscribing customers' destination account and also the subscribing merchants' destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces, in real time.

13. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of the captured transactional data will contain all embodiments and pluralities of the sales transaction that is greater than 'Level 1 Merchant Data', and will include the following:

Subscribing Buyer's Name and Account information; Subscribing Buyer's Billing Address & Postal/Zip Code; Purchase Invoice Number; Merchant Name; Merchant ID #;
Merchant Details (including Merchant Address & Postal Code, Merchant Telephone &
URL address where applicable, Server Name, Table # where applicable, Check #
where applicable, POS Terminal #); Date & Time; Charge/Refund; Method of Payment and Expiry Date where applicable (including Credit Card, Charge Card, Debit Card, Smart Card, Contactless Payment, Mobile Payment, Biometric Payment, Gift Card, Store Credit, Others); Method of Payment Data and (or) Account Data; Name registered on method of payment; Retrieval #; Trace/Reference #; Approval #; Authorization #;
Transaction amount details; Sub Total; Tax Amount (and or Alternate Tax Amount);
Tip/gratuity Amount; Total Amount; Customer Code (where applicable); Tax Identification; Merchant Minority Code; Merchant Provincial/State Code; Item Product Code; Item/Service Description; Detailed Line Description of Items/Services Purchased;

Item/Services Quantity; Item/Services Unit of Measure; Item/Services Extended Amount; Item/Service; Net/Gross Indicator; Item/Service Tax Amount;
Item/Service Tax Rate; Item/Service Tax Identifier; Item/Service Discount Indicator; Ship from Postal Code Freight Amount; Customs Tax and Duty Amount; Destination Postal Code;
Destination Country Code; Other(s)

14. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of:
At the time of setting up a subscription account, in order to receive electronic receipt(s), the prospect subscribing customer is required to provide key data elements relating to their credit, debit and or fund account(s) from where the payment and or funds will derive from for their transactions, so that they can qualify, become eligible and have a destination account for their transactional data to be seamlessly captured and delivered in the form of an electronic receipt from the subscribing merchants' POS
environment(s), all in real time; and At the time of setting up a subscription account, the prospect subscribing merchant is required to provide key data elements directly relating to their POS
environment(s), so they can qualify for acquiring, downloading, integrating and installing the software platforms and hardware platforms within their POS environments. This will enable merchants to seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the customer's qualification, eligibility and destination account for automatically having their transactional data captured during the payment process, all in real-time.

15. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabling and allowing subscribing personal consumers to securely access, search, view, print and download static electronic receipt(s) and other information from their destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces.

16. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabling and allowing subscribing business managers to securely access, search, view, print and download electronic receipt(s) and other information, from their destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces.

17. The method of claim 15 and 16, further comprising of enabling and allowing all supplementary accountholders to securely access, search, view, print and download electronic receipt(s) and other information from their destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces.

18. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabling and allowing subscribing merchants to securely access, search, view, print and download electronic receipt(s) and other information, from their destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces.

19. The method of Claim 15, Claim 16, Claim 17 and Claim 18, wherein further comprising the use of fields, parameters and values to search and locate specific electronic receipt(s) and other information from their destination account/s, via the hypermedia interfaces.

20. The method of Claim 15, wherein the step further includes capabilities and generation of static reports based on calendar cycles to be created, printed and downloaded from their destination accounts, via their hypermedia interfaces.

21. The method of Claim 15, Claim 16, Claim 17 and Claim 18, wherein further includes:
The generation of customizable reporting formats which can be created by all subscribing customers and subscribing merchants from the respective destination accounts;
Shall be further generated by the use of fields, parameters, values and other information, as comprising of Claim 19;

All via their hypermedia interfaces

22. The method of Claim 21, further enabling all customizable reporting formats to be viewed, printed, downloaded and emailed via all subscribing customers' and subscribing merchants' destination accounts, through their hypermedia interfaces.

23. The method comprising of allowing subscribing customers to create and assign supplementary accounts to their designated assignees, from their destination accounts, via their hypermedia interfaces. The computer-related inventions will identify and match all supplementary accounts back to the hierarchal primary account structure.

24. The method of Claim 23, further comprising of when all designated supplementary accountholders are setting up their subscription accounts for receiving electronic receipt(s), they are required to provide key data elements relating to their credit, debit and or fund account(s) from where the payment and or funds will derive from for payment of their transactions, so that they can qualify, become eligible and have a destination account for their transactional data to be seamlessly captured, from the subscribing merchants' POS
environments, all in real time.

25. The method comprising the initiation of engaging and employing the downloaded, integrated and installed the computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware platforms to automatically and seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the supplementary accountholders' qualification, eligibility and destination account for having their transactional data captured. This will be triggered upon the direct engagement between the supplementary accountholder and the subscribing merchant during the payment process in a sales transaction that is being processed through the subscribing merchant's POS environments; all in real-time.

26. The method of Claim 12, further comprising for all supplementary accountholders to securely access, search, view, print and download static electronic receipt(s), via their hypermedia interfaces, which they have created as a result of their own sales transaction with a subscribing merchant.

27. The method comprising for allowing all subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to create alert notifications from their destination account, to automatically trigger when assigned spend levels, behaviour, patterns and assigned parameters have been met.

28. The method of Claim 27, further comprising of subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to automatically receive alert notifications, in real-time, via their hypermedia interfaces and their destination account(s) once their assigned spend levels, behaviour, patterns and assigned parameters have been met.

29. The method comprising of enabling subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to receive from subscribing merchants, virtual shopping:
coupons;
discounts; offers and promotions in their destination accounts, which they can access through their hypermedia interfaces.

30. The method of Claim 29, further comprising that all subscribing merchants will be able to identify target profile marketing customer segments to create target profile marketing initiatives, through submitting a request to create a target list for each of their target profile marketing campaigns.

31. The method of Claim 30, further comprising of the target list will be identified from the list of subscribing customer data contained on the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices.

32. The method of Claim 29, further comprising of allowing and enabling all subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to electronically exchange their offers with other subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders via their destination accounts, which can be accessed via their hypermedia interfaces, all in real time.

33. The method comprising for enabling all subscribing customers, subscribing merchants and supplementary accountholders to access and view a business to business directory listing and also a business to consumer directory listing from their destination account, via their hypermedia interfaces, all in real time.

34. The method of Claim 33, further comprising of enabling all subscribing customers, subscribing merchants and supplementary accountholders to create their own custom listings of business directory lists on their destination accounts, via their hypermedia interfaces.

35. The method of providing all subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders the capabilities of inserting textual comments and ratings of their experiences with subscribing merchants, which can be executed from their destination accounts, via their hypermedia interfaces.

36. The method of Claim 3, further comprising for engaging and employing the downloaded, integrated and installed the computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware platforms to automatically and seamlessly detect non-subscribing customers at the subscribing merchants' POS environments, during the sales transaction and payment process all in real time.

37. The method of Claim 36, further comprising of seeking the non-subscribing customer's consent to acquire their key data elements from the sales transaction and payment process.