ZA200404060B

ZA200404060B - Computer automated electronic small change harvesting method.

Info

Publication number: ZA200404060B
Application number: ZA200404060A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Angus Bernhardt Pohl
Original assignee: Angus Bernhardt Pohl
Priority date: 2004-05-25
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2005-06-29

Description

PATENT DESCRIPTION Background Of The Invention

This invention relates to a method of conveniently involving the public and other trading parties with the option to “electronically” donate a pre-determined and calculated portion of their small change money for eventual charitable use. The seamless intent is to eliminate the use of existing card systems v and/or other physical means of collection, by simply making the donating process part of daily transactions and thereby minimizing interruption.

The idea is to introduce a novel method to electronically collect “redundant” small change money from the public as they transact within the retail and banking sector of the economy. Everybody involved in buying and selling generates small change money on a regular basis, and more often than not is unsure of how to productively apply this money later on. Small change money can however be put to good use if effectively collected in a national effort, and then centrally controlled to optimally support accountable charity and human development organizations...

This invention also provides transparent electronic registration measures, encouraging a culture of giving to the needy, involve the retail and other business sectors with a social responsibility, and make the whole experience as effortless as possible!

Summary Of The Invention

According to a feature of the invention, this method is attained in a system with entry means for entering the price of a product into a cash register and for entering the amount of cash being paid, automatically pre-determined calculating means for determining the amount of the donation made based on the size of the purchase, and printout means for printing receipts indicating the amounts for products purchased, cash paid, and donation given.

The following is an example of the method as used within a retail cash register environment... 1. Customer purchases product (or products) for $14,95. 2. Customer pays with $20,00 bill. 3. Cashier pays back small change owed but keeps the automatically calculated and rounded up donation amount of 15¢ (according to example of formula included) on behalf of a “Collection

Company”. 4. The automatic “rounding off” arrangement is made and established between retailer and customer by means of a pre-emptive (and maintenance) marketing campaign to educate the public in this regard. Communicating to the customer the charitable benefits and that he/she will always have ' the right of refusal. 5. Receipt issued will indicate the usual information such as date and place, products purchased, ‘ money paid, but also include the amount donated. 6. Rounding up calculations are made and based on the amount the customer has purchased for. For example: 5¢ from $5,00 / 10c from $10,00 / 20c from $20,00 and so on. Calculations can be altered or changed according to what is acceptable in different markets by means of a simple pre { programmed mathematical re-configuration of cash registers or IT infrastructure. 7. Additional or “other” donations can also be collected through this mechanism and indicated as such on any receipt issued. (In such cases where people may want to donate extra small change money in their wallets, or want to donate more than the usual rounded off amount.) 8. All monies collected on behalf of the “collection company” are separated by the retailers and banks from their own profits, and electronically paid into the “collection company” bank account on a monthly basis. Retailers have the right to use all incoming “charity” money (up to every ‘ month’s end) for generating interest to offset any costs incurred by them.

According to an embodiment, the invention is available in a wide variety of establishments including retail establishments, restaurants, convenience stores, entertainment venues, and the banking sector ctc.

These and other features of the invention are pointed out in the claims. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description Of Drawings

F1G.1 Block diagram of a system embodying retail store related features of the invention.

F1G.2 Consecutive flow diagrams of the steps that take place in CRx of F1G. 1

F1G.3 Block diagram of a system embodying features of the invention for generating donations from credit cards. debit cards. internet transactions, check pavments, and all other bank related services used for transacting.

FI1G.4 Flow diagram of the process that take place in CPU of FIG.3

Detailed Description Of Preferred Embodiments

In FIG 1, a system embodying the invention includes a central computer CC containing a central processor CPU and data storage DS. A communications system CS that may include telephone lines, satellites, or cables connects the central computer CC to a number of cash registers CRx (where x—1, . .-M, .. . N) in retail outlets, such as shops, supermarkets, gasoline stations, department stores, etc. at locations remote from the central computer. Throughout this specification, the term x, when appended to the end of a reference character, is equal to 1, . . . M, . . . N.

The communications system CS also connects the central computer CC to the regional / national computers of a particular retailer, bank or service provider, and ultimately to the “collection . company” bank account for depositing all small change donations collected. Donations can be deposited according to a daily, weekly or monthly arrangement.

): cash register CRx includes four (4) additions to the existing keyboard configuration... 1. A button to de-activate automatically pre-calculated donations. Automatic donations are centrally activated and can only de de-activated if a particular customer so requests for his purchases made. 2. A button to activate donations. This button is used for stores where automatically pre- calculated donations have not been approved, but the manually activated service is offered to the public as they purchase. . 3. A button to activate a service for donations only, or additional donations made over and above the usual small change rounding up method used. For an additional donation made, this button is simply activated after all other transactions have been completed to add an amount following its activation. 4. A cash back button to return all donations made by the most recent customer charged.

All transactions are electronically registered and donations automatically added on all receipts issued together with a thank you note for donations made. The terminal RTx reports donations directly to the central computer CC via the communication system CS. The central computer CC prints out periodic reports for interested parties on a need-to-know basis.

According to the invention, a consumer in a shop, supermarket, gasoline station, department store, etc. selects the desired merchandise and brings it to a clerk. The clerk inputs the price of all items in a cash register CRx by way of a register keyboard or a bar code reader and the register totals the price.

The consumer then offers the clerk either the exact amount of cash or a sum exceeding the price, and the clerk enters that cash and the amount into the cash register. The cash register CRx then subtracts the price from the cash.

If the consumer gives the clerk the exact price nothing more need happen, unless the consumer wishes to make a specific donation. However, if the money offered the clerk exceeds the price, the consumer may, if he or she wishes, choose to receive the change fully or allow the donation of a portion or all of it. To do so, he or she simply instructs the clerk accordingly, unless the donations made take place automatically as advertised to the public in advance. Customers have the option to deny pre-calculated donations (as determined and based on the size of the purchase) at the point of sale.

All automatic and manually activated electronic small change donations are calculated according to the size of the purchases made. The ratio within the formula used can be adapted according to the economic standing of a country or the community where it will apply.

An example of a simple formula would be...

X= (Purchase Total / 100)

X= ($20/100)

X= $00,20c

Here follows a step by step example of the operation of a cash register CRx Manual and Automatic configuration (See flow charts of FIG.2.1 and 2.2). 3 h

FIG.2.1 § 1. Start: Cashier registers and calculates the cost for all customer products selected: 2. Choice: Cashier prompts customer for donation (or customer asks), and activates or 1gnores manual donation button. At this point the customer may also indicate extra donations given if required. upon which the cashier will also activate or ignore the “Donation Only / Extra” button, 3. Action: Customer pays for goods and possibly adds extra donation money according to previous request; 4. Action: Cash register automatically calculates customer donation based on size of purchase and subtracts this amount from balance of money left after purchase of goods. Any extra donations are at this point also calculated and registered as such; 5. (Action): Customer pays for goods purchased with no request to donate anything, 6. (Action): Cash register calculates goods purchased only; 7. End: Cash slip or receipt is issued for goods purchased. and indicates exact amount of donations made if applicable.

FIG.22 1. Start: Cashier registers and calculates the cost for all customer products selected; 2. Action: Customer pays for goods, possibly asking to donate extra money, which the cashier accepts and adds to the total amount after activating the “Donation Only / Extra” button; 3. Choice: At this point customer may choose to refuse automatic donation, if not the cashier proceeds to receive money for goods purchased and donation is automatically rounded up from balance of money left after purchase of goods. If the customer chooses not to participate in the automatic donation, the cashier activates the “Automatic Denial” button and the purchase takes place without any automatic donation; 4. Action: Cash register automatically calculates customer donation based on size of purchase and subtracts this amount from balance of money left over from goods purchased. Any extra donations are at this point also calculated and registered as such; 5. (Action): Customer pays for goods purchased without any donation; 6. End: Cash slip or receipt is issued for goods purchased, and indicates exact amount of donations made if applicable.

While most examples refer to cash transactions, the invention is also applicable to payment by credit card. That is, the customer may wish to have an amount charged to the credit card in excess of the price in order to make donations according to the invention. For purposes of this description the word cash is used also to embrace credit card payments, or any other method accepted by retailers, banks and service providers.

Note: The same small change rounding up method can also be used and is claimed by this invention

Jor use in all electronic forms of iransacting as offered by banks See claims made together with block diagram (FIG.3) and Flow diagram (FIG. 4) embodying the method used

In FIG 3, a system embodying the invention (for credit card transfers) includes a central computer CC containing a central processor CPU and a large data storage DS. A communications system CS that may include telephone lines, satellites, or cables connects the central computer CC to a number of ) other banks and branches, restaurants, movie houses etc. at locations remote from the central computer. 4 — J — —_———— . F— Smee me ool ry

4: communications system CS also connects the central computer CC to the regional / national computers of a particular banking group/s, and ultimately to the “collection company” bank account for depositing all small change donations collected. Donations can be deposited according to a daily, weekly or monthly arrangement.

A step-by-step example of the operation of the “credit card” method and configuration as shown in the flow chart of F1G.4 v

FIG.4 1. Start: Customer applies for credit / debit card, checking account, automated bank debit order; 2. Choice: Customer is offered the donation service that will automatically calculate and collect a portion of small change for every purchase made, collected on a monthly basis or as arranged with the bank. Customer can also opt to donate a fixed flat rate (or both) on a weekly, monthly or as otherwise arranged; 3. Action: Customer makes use of credit card service and generates an account payable; 4. Action: Small change donation is automatically calculated according to the size of the purchase/s and payable by months end; 5. End: Customer receives account statement with cost of purchases and donation/s made.

While embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that some aspects of the invention may be embodied somewhat differently, but without departing from its original intent of seamless and effortless small change collecting dynamics. .

Claims

AMENDED SHEET CLAIMS

1. A method of automatically harvesting a monetary donation during a financial transaction which method includes the following steps, in any order electronically registering tender received from a transacting party which tender is offered as payment for goods and/or services; automatically and electronically determining whether or not the tendered amount exceeds the total amount required for the purchase of the goods and/or services; automatically and without approval from the transacting party increasing the total amount of the transaction with a predetermined amount if the tendered amount exceeds the total amount required so that the predetermined amount is equal or less than the difference between the total amount and the tendered amount; and automatically and electronically allocating the predetermined amount to a collecting party if the transacting party does not disagree to the automatic increase of the total amount with the predetermined amount.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes, after the step of increasing the total amount, the step of displaying the increased total amount and the predetermined amount to the transacting party.

3. A method as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 2, which includes, after the step of determining whether or not the tendered amount exceeds the total amount, the step of automatically calculating the predetermined amount.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated so that the addition thereof to the total amount results in a rounded figure.

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated as a percentage of the total amount of the transaction.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated to be below a certain limit. 6 i

® AMENDED SHEET WO 03/052709 PCT/ZA01/00203

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, which includes the step of assigning a unique identifier to the transacting party upon allocation of the predetermined amount to the collecting party which unique identifier is able to uniquely identify the transacting party for the purposes of a game of chance.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of assigning a unique identifier to a transacting party forms part of a reward scheme wherein a transacting party has a chance to win a prize merely by donating small change during a transaction.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, which includes the step of providing the transacting party with a printout of the transaction.

10. A system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation during a financial transaction which system includes at least one conventional electronic transaction register adapted to electronically register tender received from a transacting party which tender is offered as payment for goods and/or services, to automatically and electronically determine whether or not the tendered amount exceeds the total amount required for the purchase of the goods and/or services, and to automatically and without approval from the transacting party increase the total amount of the transaction with a predetermined amount if the tendered amount exceeds the total amount required so that the predetermined amount is equal or less than the difference between the total amount and the tendered amount; and a central processor arranged in electronic communication with the at least one register which processor is configured to automatically and electronically allocate the predetermined amount by means of a conventional electronic network to a collecting party if the transacting party does not disagree to the automatic increase of the total amount with the predetermined amount.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the register is adapted to display the increased total amount and the predetermined amount to the transacting party.

12. A system as claimed in either one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the register is adapted to automatically calculate the predetermined amount. 7 i

AMENDED SHEET

13. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the register calculates the predetermined amount so that the addition thereof to the total amount resuits in a rounded figure.

14. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the register calculates the predetermined amount as a percentage of the total amount of the transaction.

15. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the register calculates the predetermined amount to be below a certain limit.

16. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the register is adapted to assign a unique identifier to the transacting party upon allocation of the predetermined amount to the collecting party which unique identifier is able to uniquely identify the transacting party for the purposes of a game of chance.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the register assigns the unique identifier to a transacting party so as to form part of a reward scheme wherein a transacting party has a chance to win a prize merely by donating small change during a transaction.

18. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the register is adapted to provide the transacting party with a printout of the transaction.

19. A system as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein the central processor includes a conventional financial computer server.

20. A method of automatically harvesting a monetary donation after the conclusion of an electronic transaction which method includes the following steps, in any order pre-emptively obtaining permission from a transacting party which permission authorizes a financial institution to harvest a donation from an electronic account of a transacting party; harvesting a donation from the electronic account of the transacting party for which account permission has been granted by automatically increasing the total amount of an electronic transaction with a predetermined amount when the financial institution administers the conventional electronic transfer of the transaction; and 8 j

AMENDED SHEET electronically allocating the predetermined amount to a collecting party upon the conventional electronic transfer of the total amount to an electronic account of a third party.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, which includes, prior to the step of harvesting a donation, the step of automatically calculating the predetermined amount.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated so that the addition thereof to the total amount results in a rounded figure.

23. A method as claimed in either one of claims 21 or 22, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated as a percentage of the total amount of the transaction.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the predetermined amount is calculated to be below a certain limit.

25. A method as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24, which includes the step of assigning a unique identifier to the transacting party upon allocation of the predetermined amount to the collecting party which unique identifier is able to uniquely identify the transacting party for the purposes of a game of chance.

26 A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the unique identifier is assigned to the transacting party irrespective of the predetermined amount.

27. A method as claimed in either one of claims 25 or 26, wherein the step of assigning a unique identifier to transacting party forms part of a reward scheme wherein the transacting party has a chance to win a prize merely by automatically making a donation after an electronic transaction.

28. A method as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 27, which includes the step of providing the transacting party with a printout of the transaction.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the printout shows the details of the electronic transaction which includes the predetermined amount and the total amount of the transaction. 9 f

AMENDED SHEET

30. A system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation after the conclusion of an electronic transaction, which system includes authorizing means configured to enable a transacting party to grant permission to a financial institute so that the financial institute can harvest a donation from an account of the transacting party; and a conventional electronic financial server adapted to harvest a donation from the electronic account of the transacting party for which account permission has been granted by automatically increasing the total amount of an electronic transaction with a predetermined amount when the financial institution administers the conventional electronic transfer of the transaction, and to electronically allocate the predetermined amount to a collecting party upon conventional electronic transfer of the total amount to an electronic account of a third party.

31. A system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the authorizing means includes receiving permission by means of an electronic network.

32. A system as claimed in either one of claims 30 or 31, wherein the authorizing means includes an agreement concluded between the transacting party and the financial institute.

33. A system as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein the authorizing means includes an electronic indication on the electronic account of the transacting party which indication indicates that the transacting party has authorized the harvesting of donations from that particular account.

34. A system as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 33, wherein the conventional electronic financial server is adapted to calculate the predetermined amount.

35. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the server calculates the predetermined amount so that the addition thereof to the total amount results in a rounded figure.

36. A system as claimed in either one of claims 34 to 35, wherein the server calculates the predetermined amount as a percentage of the total amount of the transaction. i

AMENDED SHEET

37. A system as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 36, wherein the server calculates the predetermined amount to be below a certain limit.

38. A system as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 37, wherein the server is adapted to assign a unique identifier to the transacting party upon allocation of the predetermined amount to the collecting party which unique identifier is able to uniquely identify the transacting party for the purposes of a game of chance.

39. A system as claimed in claim 38, wherein the step of assigning a unique identifier to a transacting party forms part of a reward scheme wherein the transacting party has a chance to win a prize merely by automatically making a donation after an electronic transaction.

40. A system as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 39, wherein the server includes a printing means for providing the transacting party with a conventional printout of the transaction.

41. A system as claimed in claim 40, wherein the printout shows the details of the electronic transaction which includes the predetermined amount and the total amount of the transaction.

42. The method or system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation during a financial transaction, or the method or system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation after the conclusion of an electronic transaction, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

43. A method or system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation during a financial transaction, or a method or system for automatically harvesting a monetary donation after the conclusion of an electronic transaction substantially as herein described.

2. 11 f