GB2478286A - Managing transactional data for generating electronic receipts - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves capturing (S3) transactional data in real-time seamlessly from the subscribing merchant's POS environment. The captured transactional data are transmitted (S4) to the remote secured central repository database (CRDB1). The captured transactional data are formatted into electronic receipts and are made available to access in destination account belonging to both the subscribing customer and subscribing merchant. The electronic receipts are processed in real time such that they can be accessed immediately. Methods are also provided to create gift receipts, rate merchants, view business listings, target marketing campaigns and create alerts utilising subscribing customer/merchant accounts.

Description

Description:

Title-Generation of Electronic Receipts.

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 roUs 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, which 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, induding 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 P09 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 processingf 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 6 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 6 years in case of a tax or a business audit. 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 6 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 I Merchant Data is the basic level and Level 3 Merchant Data currently contains the most detailed list of transactional information: * Level I 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 Statement of Invention: Descnption of how invention addresses technical problem -The inventions wiU seamlessly create electronic receipts directly from the Point of Sale (POS) environments, as a result of a sales transactions and transmit them over to the customers' destination accounts, all in real-time. The invention comprise of software and hardware platforms that wifi reside within the merchants' POS environments, both retail (physica') store ocations and on their web e-commerce pages. The invention will capture transactional data and immediately create electronic receipts upon certain field recognitions. The data captured will be transactional data that is greater than Level 1 Merchant Data (as described above), providing very detailed transactional information than currently available.

The inventions will involve ongoing software and hardware platform developments; including keeping current with state of the art technologies to provide high measures of security, data access and storage of electronic receipts.

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 wiU be required to provide their personal background information and additional pre-determined key data elements which will relate their method of payment to their credit account, debit account andfor funds account, so that this data will be recognized and captured during a sales transaction process.

Once the destination account has been established subscribing customers will be able to seamlessly receive electronic receipts in real-time from subscribing merchants. Prospect merchants who wish to enable and seamlessly provide electronic receipts from their POS environments wilt be ab'e to download, integrate and instaU the computer-related invention and related software and hardware platforms on their Point of Sale (POS) environments, for both physical retail locations and all e-commerce environments.

The seamless process will begin with an initial direct engagement of the subscribing customer entering the sales transaction payment process with a subscribing merchant at the merchant's POS environment. The computer related invention, comprising of software and hardware platforms; remote e'ectronic data storage environments; and business methods wifi seamessy execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the customer's qualification, eligibility and destination account; all in real-time. Immediately upon completion of the sales transactions payment process, the computer related invention will capture the transactional data 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.

In addition to all subscribing customers receiving electronic receipts, all respective subscribing merchants will also receive copies of electronic receipts made r&ative 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 audits.

The target audience of this invention are Customers who comprise of: * Personal consumers -Who are seeking convenience and new post sales experiences.

* Business managers; business owners; and corporations -Who make business related expenses and wish to have a better receipt management 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 will be able to use either a hardware token device or a smartphone (mobile) application at the subscribing merchant's POS retail location. These two methods will contain the subscribing customer's 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 electronic receipts being generated when they complete their sales transaction using their credit and or debit payment card.

This invention wiU deliver a 3600 degree benefit to all: * Electronic receipts created seamlessly and in real-time.

* Neither subscribing customers nor subscribing merchants wi ever have to implement any steps, methods or procedures in a sales transactions involving an electronic biU presentment and payment that eads to funds deriving from credit account, debit account and (or)funds account.

* With cash based transactions, subscribing customers simply present either their hardware token device or their mobile smartphone application in order to have their electronic receipt generated.

* Creation of Supplementary Accounts within the primary subscribing customer account structure, wifi aow for better expense management.

* Subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders can opt to receive additional versions of their electronic receipts via their ceUular or smartphone, aU in real-time, giving them immediate access to their receipts.

* For every sales transaction, real-time delivery of electronic receipts will be sent to both the subscribing customer's and subscribing merchant's destination accounts, allowing immediate access. In the event that supplementary accountholders generate the electronic receipts, they and the primary accountholder would receive copies of the electronic receipts.

Furthermore the primary accountholder will receive notifications via their cellular/smartphone, an email and a message in their destination account. The advantage here is that this process enables a greater degree of accountability and transparency.

* 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 over the period of ten years.

* Creation of sales management reports is designed 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 reports is designed to help subscribing customers and subscribing merchants identify their respective tax calculations pertaining to their good and (or) services they either purchased or sold, saving time, costs and effort having this performed by either themselves, accountant or a financial controller.

* Creation of expense management reports is designed to help subscribing customers to 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 r&ated expenses, as weU as conduct dynamic searches only with their own supplementary account. The advantage of these reports are that they can be generated very quickly without having to having to reconcile physical paper receipts, thus saving time, cost and effort.

* Creation of spend alerts is designed to inform subscribing customers that their self-assigned 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 muftiple select fields by subscribing customers.

* Creation of spend centric programs, where the invention wifi avow subscribing merchants to implement target profile marketing initiatives. The advantage of these programs is to ultimately attract customer loyalty and higher sales revenues.

* Creation of real-time notifications to be sent out to each subscribing customer after each generation of their electronic receipts. Notifications will inform them that their electronic receipt has been generated and is available for access in 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 via their cell phone/smartphone messaging (if they've opted for this feature). The advantage of real-time notifications is that in the event the subscribing customers' account has been fraudulently compromised, then the subscribing customer will be immediate notified through the generation of an electronic receipt, thus giving them more proactive control to report this to their bank.

* 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 and rewards points with other subscribers. The advantage would be that subscribing customers would be able to trade offers and top-up rewards points that are relevant to their needs.

* 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 and customers to have quick and easy access to business listings.

This will be made avaUable on the subscribing customers home account page, accessible via the web or mobile devices.

* 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. The advantage is that subscribing customers will be able to create their own favourite directory listings.

* Subscribing customers will also be able to post textual comments and ratings on a shared/common area on the website, about thek most recent experience at a subscrthing merchant. This will be seen by all subscribers. The advantage is that subscribing customers will feet engaged by sharing their opinions and merchants will value from the exposure.

* As e'ectronic receipts are created in reaktime with immediate 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, which will be executed as a business as usual procedure. Once the subscribing customer acknowledges 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.

* Creation of mobile smartphone applications containing data representing monetary value, allowing subscribing customers to use this as a method of payment at the POS. The invention will read and retrieve the data and process the transaction. The advantage is that the invention provides an alternative method of payment.

Lastly, the invention will also identify non-subscribing customers at the subscribing merchants' POS location(s). Whenever the invention does not recognize a customer, 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 Drawings and Invention -

To aid the detaed description of the invention: the embodiments of the invention wiU be referenced in the following drawings: * Fig 1. Steps in generating electronic receipts -Illustrates the environment and processes of how electronic receipts are generated and deUvered (along with notifications) to the destination accounts.

* Fig 2. Persona' Consumers' Payment via Credit and or Debit Account -Illustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a personal consumer making a transaction using a payment method associated with their credit and or debit account(s).

* Fig 3. Persona' Consumers' Payment via Cash, Cheque, Gift Cards and Store Credits -Illustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a personal consumer making a transaction using a payment method that is not an Electronic BiU Presentment and Payment (ie. Cash, Cheque, Gift Card, Store/Loyalty Card, etc...) * Fig 4: Persona' Supplementary Accountholders -lUustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a personal supplementary accountholder.

* Fig 5: Business Managers' Payment via Credit and Debit Account -Illustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a business manager making a transaction using a payment method associated with their credit and or debit account(s).

* Fig 6. Business Managers' Payment via Cash, Cheque, Gift Cards, and Store Credits -Illustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a business manager making a transaction using a payment method that is not an Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (Le. Cash, Cheque, Gift Card, StorefLoyalty Card, etc..) * Fig 7 Business Supplementary Accountholders -Illustrates the environment and processes of an electronic receipt and other benefits being generated from a business supplementary accountholder.

* Fig 8. Merchants environment -lilustrates the environment and processes of an &ectronic receipt being generated from a merchants Point of Sales environment and how they will receive electronic receipts and other benefits.

* Fig 9. Electronic Receipts: Search Fields -Illustrates the search fields that are available to use for retrieving an electronic receipts. This wil' be used at the account level.

* Fig 10. Creating Reports -Illustrates the search fields that are available to use for creating reports. This will be used at the account level.

* Fig 11 Customer Acquisition at the POS environment -Illustrates the environment and processes to executing a new customer acquisition directly at the merchants' Point of Sa'e.

For clarity, the following will be referenced in the body of the detai'ed description: * Subscribing Customers' (ABM) will be inclusive of: o Personal Consumers (A).

o Business Managers (QM).

o Business Owners (BM).

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

o Corporations (M)* o Personal Supplementary Accountholders (SOSA2) o Business Supplementary Accountholders (SOSA3) * There will be instances where the above reference wiU be further differentiated as: o Persona' Consumers' () and Business Managers' (fr).

o Business Managers' (f) will be inclusive of Business Managers, Business Owners, SMEs and Corporations.

* Subscribing Merchants (f) wiU refer to merchants of all sizes.

The aim and intention of this invention is to eventually replace and migrate all receipts from paper to &ectronic form. The invention will be composed of a corn puter-r&ated invention, comprising of software and hardware platforms () 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 (BIBT); all in real-time.

Immediately upon capturing the transactional data, the invention will transmit the transactional data (84) to the remote electronic data storage environments and related platforms and/or devices (CRDBI); 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 &ectronic receipts (ERDBI); 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 () to the destination accounts (CPA IIBMPA IISOSA21SOSA3IMPA 1) belonging to the respective subscribing customer (ABM) and subscribing merchant (M); all in real-time.

Electronic receipts (ERIIER2) will be created seamlessly in real-time directly from the POS environment (B/B7), whether it via merchants' () e-Commerce site pages or their POS terminal device(s) within the store location(s). The invention of electronic receipts (ERV2) will be targeted towards Personal Consumers' (a), Business Managers' (t) and Merchants' () of all sizes.

Electronic receipts (ERI1ER2) 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 (B3IBT3) that is greater than Level I Merchant Data directly from subscribing merchants' (M) POS environments (BIBT), during the payment process of the sales transaction. All transactional data (B3/8T3) 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 appllcable) o Server Name o Tab'e # (where applicable) o Check # (where applicable) o POS Terminal # * Date & Time * Charge/Refund * Method of Payment and Expiry Date (where appUcable) 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 ndicator 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) wiU be seamless within the transaction process to both the subscribing merchants () and subscribing customers (ABM). All electronic receipts (ERI!ER2) wiU be deUvered to the subscribing customers (ABM) and subscribing merchants () in real-time. AU references of seamless processes wiH be assodated with payments being made at the subscribing merchants' (M) POS Environments () with funds linked back to the subscribing customers' Credit Accounts, Debit Accounts and (or) Fund Accounts (j). Any references to method of payments made with cash, cheque, gift card, store credit or others (Qj C5) wiU not be seamless as the subscribing customer wiU present a hardware token or another device or application at the subscribing merchants' (1k!) POS environment, which will be captured and read by the computer-related inventions, comprising of software and hardware platforms.

When personal consumers () and business managers () 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) () 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 (BIJBTI) for a sales transaction between the subscnbing customer (ABM) and the subscribing merchant (f), 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 (B1BT) -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 (B218T2). During this process, key data elements will be detected, identified, captured and tracked from the subscribing customers method of payment, via the computer-related inventions. Method of payments (A2-A9. Cl -C5, & AMPI) 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 (SOSA2/SOSA3) based on the data captured during the (B2IBT2) process.

Once the subscribing customers (ABM) transactional data has been captured (B31BT3) in real-time at the subscribing merchants (f) 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) (CRDBI). Immediately thereafter, the transactional data is transmitted from the central repository database (CRDBI) 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 () and subscribing merchant (fri) who were involved in the sales transaction; all in real-time. Once the electronic receipts (ERIJER2) have been created (ERBDI), these will be securely transmitted to the subscribing customers (ABM) which they can then securely access via their destination accounts (CPA 1/BMPAI/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPAI), on the company's website. Again, reinforcing the fact that within the entire journey of a payment process where the method of payments (j) 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 (ERIIER2), as this entire process will be seamless.

Each electronic receipt (ERIIER2) will be stored for up to 10 (ten) years rolling (EROBI), 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 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 () will never ever need to keep and store their paper receipts again. Transactional data will be seamlessly created in real-time(B3!BT3), directly from the subscribing merchants' () POS terminal device and or e-Commerce platform(s) (BIBT) and transmitted (B4,/BT4), to the company's proprietary central repository database (CRDBI). From the central repository database (CRDBI), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERDBI) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (ERI) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (CPA 1/SOSA2) belonging to personal consumers (a).

Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts (ERI) to the personal consumers' (A) destination accounts (CP.41/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 (ERI). If personal consumers () have opted to receive SMS Text messages or other mobile based communications or notifications, they will also receive additional formatted copies of their electronic receipts directly to their cell/smart phone or other hypermedia mobile devices, in real-time (). Note: All subscribing merchants (M) will also receive copies of every electronic receipt (E&i) that has been created through their sales; for every electronic receipt created, one copy will go to the consumer (A) and the other to them.

Each subscribing consumer (A) will receive an online membership account (CPA 1) on the company's website where they can securely access and view all (and any) of the electronic receipts (ERI) that has been created as a result of their purchase from a subscribing merchant (f). The inventions will securely store each electronic receipt (ERI) for 10 years rolling from the time and date each electronic receipt (.j) was created, all within the repository database, allowing personal consumers () to access their electronic receipts (ERI) anytime via their online account (CPA IISOSA2).

* Personal consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) will be able to access; search; view; print and download static electronic receipts (ERI) from accessing their destination account (CPA IISOSA2) their user identification and password.

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

* Consumers (A) will be able to create supplementary accounts (SOSAI) under their primary account. As each supplementary accountholder (SOSA2) creates electronic receipts (ERI), it will be sent to the remote electronic platforms and (or) devices (CRDBI/ERDBI) and registered under the primary account (the grandfather account) and made accessible to both the primary and supplementary accountholders (CPA 1/SOSA2). The primary account (CPA 1) will always remain the hierarchal account and controller (the grandfather account) of all accounts created under their account.

* Each time supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) create electronic receipts (.t) they are sent to the primary and supplementary accountholders (CPA 1/SOSA2). Both levels of accounts will receive real-time notifications (S5a-d) informing them that an electronic receipt (i) has been generated via their registered method of payment(s) () and that is immediately available to access. These notifications will be delivered through their hypermedia interface channels and hypermedia mobile devices and interfaces.

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

* fin 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 (t) related to that product or service, print it and return back to the store to exercise the merchants Customer Return Policy. Also, if they have kept their electronic receipt (i) which was delivered to their hypermedia mobile devices (), then they would simply present this to the subscribing merchant (M) and the computer related invention comprising of software and hardware will be able to detect and read the electronic receipt (ERI).

* The inventions will facilitate the means of allowing consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to view a business directory list of subscribing merchants (B2BDI), and also build a customizable business directory list (B2BD2) of subscribing merchants (f) that they've recently or normally shop at. This list will be created and made available to access on their destination account (CPA 1/SOSA2). Within this function, the invention will also offer some alternative merchant recommendations along with mapping capabilities via the hypermedia interfaces and hypermedia mobile devices.

* The inventions will allow subscribing consumers () 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 and hypermedia mobile devices.

* Through the inventions, subscribing personal consumers () will also have the option of setting up Spend Alerts' (SAl) on either their own overall account (CPA 1) 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 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; by spend threshold amounts on overall supplementary accounts (SOSA2); and other fields.

* The inventions will allow subscribing merchants () to create target profile marketing campaigns to target subscribing consumers () and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) with incented discounted offers and promotions, enticing them to return back for more business. Targeted subscribing personal consumers () and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) wiU receive notifications (S5a-c) informing them of a newly arrived offer (MO1).

* The inventions wU also aflow subscribing consumers () and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to trade their offers, rewards or points (TMOI) with other subscribing customers (ABM), aU via their destinaUon account and hypermedia interfaces.

* As electronic receipts (a) are created in real-time and immediately foUowed by notifications (S5aIbIc/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/has been compromised, once the subscriber receives their notification(s) they can contact their bank(s) immediately to take necessary steps on their account(s).

* The inventions wl also enable personal consumers (A) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA2) to create other (OTI) new features and capabilities.

(ii) Business Managers (): * As a direct result of the inventions, business manager (f) will never ever need to keep and store their paper receipts again. Transactional data wiU be seam lessly created in real-Ume(B3/BT3), directly from the subscribing merchants' (M) POS terminal device and or e-Commerce platform(s) (BIBT) and transmitted (B4IBT4), to the company's proprietary central repository database (CRDBI). From the central repository database (CRDBI), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERDBI) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (2) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (BMPAI/SOSA3) belonging to business managers () and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3). Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts () to the business managers' () desUnation accounts (BMPAI/SOSA3), notifications (S5a-c) will be sent out in real-time to the business managers (8) advising them of the creation and immediate availability of their electronic receipts (). If business managers (BM) have opted to receive notifications and their formatted electronic receipts via their hypermedia mobile devices or interfaces, they will receive them in real-time (S5a). Note: All subscribing merchants (f) 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 (t) and the other to them.

* Each subscribing business manager (BM) will receive a primary online account (BMPAI). They wl also have the ability to create and assign online supplementary accounts (SOSAI) to each of their employees. As each employee generates electronic receipts (, it will be sent to the remote electronic platforms and (or) devices (CRDBI1ERDBI) and registered under the primary account (the grandfather account) and made accessible to both the primary and supplementary accountholders (BMPAI/SOSA3). The primary account (BMPAI) will always remain the hierarchal account and controller (the grandfather account).

* Electronic receipts () 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 electronic receipt (ER2) is being created. These receipts will be securely stored within the central repository database (CRDBI), allowing business managers () and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) to access their electronic receipts (E) 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 (BMPAIISOSA3) to view, download and print each desired electronic receipt () 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. Also, if they have kept their electronic receipt () which was delivered to their hypermedia mobile devices (), then they would simply present this to the subscribing merchant (M) and the computer related invention comprising of software and hardware will be able to detect and read the electronic receipt (ER2).

* Each time supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) create electronic receipts (ER2) they are sent to the primary and supplementary accountholders (BMPAIISOSA3). Both levels of accounts will receive real-time notifications (S5a-d) informing them that an electronic receipt () 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-d) for each generation of electronic receipt (ER2). These notifications will be delivered through their hypermedia interface channels and their hypermedia mobile devices and interfaces.

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 () will also have the option of setting up Spend Alerts' (i) on either their own overall account (BMPAI) and or on each supplementary account (SOSA3), allowing notifications (S5a/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 (j) 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; by spend threshold amounts on overall supplementary accounts (SOSA3); and other fields.

* Business Managers (BMPAI) will be able to create customized hierarchal' reports -Expense and Tax (EMRI1TMRI) -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 (ERSFI): Time (TFI); Merchant name (MNI); Merchant category/SIC Code (MCCI); Geographic location (GLI); Payment method (fMi); Account level (jj.); Tax Breakout and calculations (TBCI); Dollar amount (0.41); Tagging (nj) and Other (Q). Reports (EMRVTMRI) will be able to provide great detailed search results, as well as provide a graphic illustrated dashboard overview. These reports (EMRI/TMRI) can be printed, sent as an attachment and or downloaded to the desktop or a hypermedia interface and hypermedia mobile interface or device.

* As the inventions creates and stores electronic receipts (CRDBI), supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) will be able to create employee expense management reports (EEMRI), 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 (TMRI), Business managers and supplementary accountholders (BM/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 (nj), from their destination accounts.

* The inventions will also allow business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) create any formatted report generations (OTRI) they so desire by using search fields (ERSFI), 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 (BMPAI/SOSA3) to view a business directory (B2BDI), and to buUd a customizable business directory list of subscribing merchants (82BD2) where 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 (BMPAI/SOSA3) hypermedia interfaces and hypermedia mobile devices and interfaces.

* The inventions will allow primary and secondary accountholders (BMPAI/SOSA3) to view blogs and post their ratings and opinions on a dedicated area on company website (MVI/AMVI), 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 (BMISOSA3) via the company website and hypermedia interfaces.

* The inventions will allow subscribing merchants (M) to create target profile marketing campaigns to target business managers () 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 (MOl).

* The inventions will also allow business managers (BM) and their supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) the means to trade their offers, rewards or points (TMOI), provided by subscribing merchants (M), with other subscribing customers (ABM), all via their destination account and hypermedia interfaces.

* As electronic receipts () are created in real-time and immediately followed by notifications (S5alblc/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/has been compromised, once the business manager (j) and/or supplementary accountholder (SOSA3) receives the notification(s) they can contact their bank(s) immediately to take necessary steps on their account(s).

* The inventions will also enable business managers (BM) and supplementary accountholders (SOSA3) to create other (Qfl) new features and capabilities.

(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) (BIBT), 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 (CRDBI); hereafter referred to as proprietary central repository database. From the central repository database (CR081), the transactional data is transmitted in real-time to the electronic receipts database (ERDBI) where the generation, preparation and presentment of electronic receipts (ERIIER2) will be executed, in real-time, and then immediately transmitted to destination accounts (CPA 1/BMPA IISOSA2/SOSA3/MPA 1) belonging to subscribing customers (ABM) and the subscribing merchant (M). Simultaneously to the delivery of electronic receipts (ERI/ER2) to the destination accounts (CPAIBMPAIISOSA2/SOSA3/MPAI), notifications (S5a-d) will be sent out in real-time to the subscribing customer (ABM), advising them of the creation and immediate availability of their electronic receipts (ERI1ER2). If the subscribing customer (ABM) has opted to receive notifications and their formatted electronic receipts via their hypermedia mobile devices or interfaces, they will receive them in real-time ().

Note: All subscribing merchants (M) will also receive copies of every electronic receipt (ERIIER2) that is created through their sales; for every electronic receipt (ERIIER2) created, one copy will go to the subscribing customer (ABM) and the other to them.

* Each subscribing merchant (M) will receive a destination account (MPAI), where they can access, search, view, print and download all (and any) of the electronic receipts (ERIIER2) 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 (CRDBI), 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 reconce and calculate daily sales generated by payment type (Al-A 9/Cl-C5), and this involves them separating and calculating sales generated by each plastic payment card type (e.g. -Amex, Discover Card, Diners Club, JCB Cards, MasterCard and Visa). These computer-related inventions will enable subscribing merchants (JM) to effectively manage their daily sales reconciliations, by allowing them to create sales reconciliation reports (SMRI). 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 (j) 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 6 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 (CRDBI/ERDBI). Subscribing merchants (M) will be able to access this data on their destination account (MPAI) 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 () will be able to reconcile their sales quicker and inexpensively by addressing the charge in question through accessing and quickly identifying the electronic receipt (ERI1ER2) via their destination account (MPAI).

* Through the computer-related inventions, subscribing merchants () 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 (TMRI), 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 (La!).

* The inventions wI also allow subscribing merchants (M) to create any formatted report generations (OTRI) they so desire by using search fields (ERSFI), all via their destination accounts which can be accessed through their hypermedia interfaces.

* Subscribing merchants (f) will be ab'e to be featured on the company's online business directory (B2BDI). The online business directory will be available to all subscribing customers (ABM) to view on their destination accounts (CPA IBMPA 1/SOSA2/SOSA3/MPA 1). Furthermore the on line 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 (MOl). These offers will be sent to the targeted subscribing customers (ABM) through the company's proprietary notification channels (S5a/b/cld), as well as their destination account (CPA I1BMPA 1/SOSA2/SOSA3).

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. 11. 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 ike to apply If the prospect provides a response daiming No" (P2d), then the computer-related inventions and processes would lead to an end (). If the prospect provides a response claiming Yes" ((), then the computer-related inventions -comprising of software and hardware platforms -would lead to capturing key data elements from the prospect's EBPP (4). 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 (ERI/ER2) to the destination accounts (CPA IJBMPA IISOSA2JSOSA3).

Claims (53)

1. CIams: 1. The method of creating computer-related inventions wifi comprise of software and hardware pafforms to create, send, receive and store data information that is passed between the merchant POS termina' device and the receiving Acquirer destination to enable a transactional process, all in real-time.
2. 2. The method of Claim 1, further comprising of the computer related inventions consisting of software and hardware platform to seamlessly and securely capture and receive all embodiments and pluralities of transactional data, all in real-time.
3. 3. The method of Claim 1 and 2, further comprising of remote electronic data storage environments; related platforms and/or devices, business methods and processes, greater than standards, processes and methods which currently exists, to seamessly and securely capture and receive all embodiments and p'uralities of transactional data, al in real-time.
4. 4. The method of Claim 1, 2 and 3, further comprising of downloading, integrating and installing the computer-related inventions and re'ated software and hardware platforms within the subscribing merchant's Point of Sale (POS) environments, for both physica' retail locations and all e-commerce environments.
5. 5. The method of Claim 4, further comprising of the initiation for engaging and emp'oying 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 transactiona' 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.
6. 6. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of the creation and capture of transactional data that is communicated between the merchant and the Acquirer, will contain al embodiments and pluralities of the sates transaction that is greater than Level 1 Merchant Data', and wiU include the foUowing information: 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 appUcable, 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 ProvinciallState 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).
7. 7. The method of any preceding Claims, further comprising of the computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms that 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. . The identification and verification of the different market segments of subscribing customers will be inclusive of: Personal Consumers; Supplementary Accountholders; Business Managers; Business supplementary accountholders; Merchants; and Others.
8. 8. The method of Claim 7, 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.
9. 9. The method of Claim 8, 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 a minimum of ten (10) years, from the time and date each transactional data was received within the process of the inventions.
10. 10. The method of Claim 9, further comprising of securely transmitting each transactional data from the remote electronic data storage environments, platforms and or devices to data processing platforms, which wiU 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, a in real-time.
11. 11. The method of Claim 10, further comprising that a subscribing customers and subscribing merchants wl each receive electronic receipt(s) in their respective destination accounts, relative to each sales transaction made at the subscribing merchant's POS environment, which can be accessed via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices, all in real-time.
12. 12. The method of Claim 10 and Claim 11, 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 and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices, in addition to their destination accounts, all in real-time.
13. 13. The method of Claim 12, 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 and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
14. 14. The method comprising of creating mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface and device applications, barcodes and data fields which will contain monetary value, which will be employed for the direct engagement of a sales transaction in the exchange of any goods andIor services.
15. 15. The method of Claim 14, further comprising of allowing all subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to order and purchase such mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface applications, barcodes and data fields which contain monetary value, via their destination accounts, on their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface and devices.
16. 16. The methods of Claims 15, further comprising of allowing all subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders to receive such mobUe and non-mobile hypermedia interface applications, barcodes and data fields which contain monetary value on their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces in real time, upon completion of order and purchase.
17. 17. The method of Claim 13, 14, 15 and 16 further comprising of enabling all subscribing merchants to read, scan and identify the presentment of mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface applications, barcodes and data fields which contain monetary value, on their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
18. 18. The method of Claim 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 further comprising of enabling the engagement of capturing transactional data, the processes of creating electronic receipts and securely storing transactional data with regard to sales transactions made via the presentment of mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface and device applications, barcodes and datafields that contain monetary value.
19. 19. The method of Claim 18, further comprising of enabling computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms, to automatically calculate and update the balance remaining on the mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interface and device applications, barcodes and data fields that contain monetary value.
20. 20. The method of Claim 19, further comprising of computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms to seamlessly provide notifications to the subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders on their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces of their current balance amounts from their monetary valued mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfacing applications, barcodes and data fields, all in real-time.
21. 21. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of sending real-time notifications to the subscribing customers' and subscribing merchants' mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and destination accounts, informing them of the generation of their electronic receipt(s) and its immediate availability to access via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
22. 22. 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 mobe and non-mobe hypermedia interfaces, in real time.
23. 23. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of: When 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 and securely captured and delivered in the form of an electronic receipt from the subscribing merchants POS environment(s), all in real time; and,
24. 24. When 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 p'atforms within their POS environments. This will enable merchants to seamlessly and securely 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, aU in real-time.
25. 25. The method of Claim 5, further comprising for engaging and employing the downloaded, integrated and installed the computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware p'atforms 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.
26. 26. The method of Claim 24, further comprising of obtaining the non-subscribing customer's consent to acquire their key data elements from the sales transaction and payment process.
27. 27. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabling and allowing subscribing personal consumers and personal supp'ementary accountholders to securely access, search, view, print and download static electronic receipt(s) and other information from their destination account, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
28. 28. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabng and aUowing subscribing business managers and business supplementary accountholders to securely access, search, view, print and download electronic receipt(s) and other information, from their destination account, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
29. 29. The method of any preceding claims, further comprising of enabling and allowing subscribing merchants and others to securely access, search, view, print and download &ectronic receipt(s) and other information, from their destination account, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
30. 30. The method of Claims 26, 27 and 28 wherein further comprising the use of fields, parameters and values to search and locate specific electronic receipt(s) and other information from their destination accountls, via the mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
31. 31. The method of Claim 26, 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 mobile and non-mobi'e hypermedia interfaces.
32. 32. The method of Claim 27 and Claim 28, wherein further includes: The generation of customizab'e reports that can be created by all subscribing customers and subscribing merchants, from their respective destination accounts, and shall be further generated by the use of fields, parameters, values and other information, as comprising of Claim 29, all via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
33. 33. The method of Claim 31, further enabling all customizable reporting formats to be viewed, printed, downloaded and emailed from all subscribing customers' and subscribing merchants' destination accounts, from their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices.
34. 34. The method comprising of aUowing subscribing customers to create and assign supplementary accounts to their designated assignees from their destination accounts, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and devices. The computer-related inventions will identify and match al supplementary accounts back to the hierarchal primary account structure.
35. 35. The method of Claim 33, further comprising of when aU designated supplementary accountholders are further setting up their subscription accounts for receMng electronic receipt(s), they are required to provide key data elements re'ating 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 seam lessly captured, from the subscribing merchants' POS environments, all in real time.
36. 36. The method comprising for initiating the engagement and employment of the downloaded, integrated and installed the computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware pafforms, to automatically and seamlessly execute the detection, capture, identification and verification of the supplementary accountholder's qualification, eUgibility 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.
37. 37. The method comprising for allowing all subscribing customers and all 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.
38. 38. The method of Claim 37, further comprising of all subscribing customers and all supplementary accountholders to automatically receive alert notifications, in real-time, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces and their destination account(s) once their assigned spend levels, behaviour, patterns and assigned triggers have been met.
39. 39. The method 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 the inventor to create a target list for each of their target profile marketing campaigns.
40. 40. The method of Claim 39, further comprising of the target list will be identified from the list of subscribing customer data contained on the remote &ectronic data storage environments, p'atforms and or devices.
41. 41. The method of Claim 39 and Claim 40, further comprising of enabling all subscribing customers and all supplementary accountholders to receive coupons, discounts, offers and promotions from subscribing merchants in their destination accounts, which they can access through their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
42. 42. The method of Claim 41, further comprising of sending real-time notifications to all targeted subscribing customers and all supplementary accountholders via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces, informing them of coupons, discounts, offers and promotions received from respective subscribing merchants and are waiting to be retrieved in their destination accounts.
43. 43. The method of Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 41 and 42, further comprising of enabUng all subscribing customers and all supplementary accountholders to redeem received coupons; discounts; offers and promotions which will be automatically detected, identified and verified using unique identification information, via computer-related inventions and related software and hardware platforms at the subscribing merchant's Point of Sale (POS) environments.
44. 44. The method of Claim 42, further comprising of allowing and enabling all subscribing customers and all supplementary accountholders to electronicaUy exchange and trade their merchant offers and other reward loya'ty points with other subscribing customers and supplementary accountholders via their destination accounts, of which the sending and receiving of exchange and trade of offers will be immediately accessib'e once comp'ete, al via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
45. 45. The method comprising for enabling all subscribing customers and al supplementary account holders to create and generate gift receipts from their destination account which they can send to their recipient's email address, all via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
46. 46. The method comprising for enabling all subscribing customers, subscribing merchants and al supplementary accountholders to access and view a business directory listing from their destination account, via their mobile and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
47. 47. The method of Claim 46, further comprising of enabUng all subscribing customers, all subscribing merchants and all supplementary accountholders to create their own custom listings of business directory lists on their destination accounts, via their moblle and non-moblle hypermedia interfaces.
48. 48. The method of providing all subscribing customers and all supplementary accounthoders the capabilities of inserting textua' comments and ratings of their experiences with subscribing merchants, which can be executed from their destination accounts, via their moblle and non-mobile hypermedia interfaces.
49. 49. The method of all preceding Claims shall further comprise of electronic security processes and features that will securely capture transactional data, during electronic transmission and storage of a transaction. Such a process will capture and secure sensitive data with protected pseudo unique identification symbo's and alphanumeric characters while retaining all essential information of transactional data, without compromising the persona' and financia' data and information be'onging to all subscribing customers; all subscribing merchants; all subscribing business managers; and all supplementary accountholders.
50. 50. The method of all preceding claims shall further comprise of the computer-re'ated inventions and its re'ated software and hardware platforms to automatically identify and seamlessy detect the risk of fraudu'ent activities and account compromises on all subscribing account eves, inc'uding and not limiting to all accounts belonging to subscribing customers, subscribing supp'ementary accounthoders and subscribing merchants' mobi'e and non-moblle hypermedia interfaces, all in rea' time.
51. 51. The method of C'aim 50, further comprising of seamessy providing rea'-time notifications and a'erts to respective subscribing customers, subscribing merchants and to all respective financia' institutions who are involved in the transaction payment process, to inform them of the details regarding the fraudu'ent activity and account compromises.
52. 52. The method of C'aim 50, will further comprise of computer-related inventions and its related software and hardware platforms that will consist of a customer interactive interface to send acknowledgement and approval notifications to their respective financial institution regarding the authentication of sales transactions, all in real-time.
53. 53. The method of CIam 52 wU further compdse of aU respective financa nsUtutons to receive, n reaI-tme, the acknowledgement and approval notficatons sent from respective subscrbng customers and supplementary accountholders, regarding their authentication, acknowledgement and approva' of sales transactions.