System and method for the real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts

Abstract

The invention includes facilitating the substantially real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts. The method and system include receiving a transfer request (e.g., consumer request, triggering event, etc) for a transfer of a certain number of loyalty points, accessing and analyzing the total number of loyalty points in the transferor account to determine if a sufficient number of points exist, analyzing the type/level of consumer and type/level of points to be involved in the transfer, deducting the requested loyalty points from the transferor account, determining if any rules exist for restricting or limiting the transfer of points, using a conversion engine to convert the point value to an appropriate point value in the transferee account and increasing the point balance in the transferee account.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 maintaining, at a computer system, a plurality of loyalty accounts having associated loyalty point balances, wherein the plurality of loyalty accounts include a first loyalty account and a second loyalty account; and   in response to a transfer indication, the computer system transferring loyalty points from the first loyalty account to the second loyalty account.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first loyalty account is associated with a first consumer, and wherein the second loyalty account is associated with a second consumer. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first loyalty account is associated with a first consumer identifier, and wherein the second loyalty account is associated with a second consumer identifier. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computer system, a quantity of loyalty points associated with a transaction between a consumer associated with the first loyalty account and a merchant; and   updating, by the computer system, the loyalty point balance associated with the first loyalty account with the determined quantity of loyalty points.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transfer indication is a request from a consumer associated with the first loyalty account. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transfer indication is a request from a consumer associated with the second loyalty account. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transfer indication is a triggering event not associated with a consumer request. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the triggering event is a consumer birthday. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the triggering event is chosen from the group consisting of: a date, a balance of the first loyalty account, market conditions, and revenue changes. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second loyalty account is usable by a consumer to purchase an item. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transferring further includes a conversion engine converting the transferred loyalty points. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said merchant is a member of a merchant grouping including affiliated merchants. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first loyalty account and the second loyalty account are respectively associated with first and second consumers within a single classification. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising deducting, as a transaction fee, from the first loyalty account. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the single classification is an employer of the first and second consumers. 
     
     
         36 . An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 maintaining a plurality of loyalty accounts having associated loyalty point balances, wherein the plurality of loyalty accounts include a first loyalty account and a second loyalty account; and   in response to a transfer indication, the computer system transferring loyalty points in real time from the first loyalty account to the second loyalty account.   
     
     
         37 . The article of manufacture of  claim 36 , wherein the transfer indication is an indication that the first loyalty account has been inactive for a threshold amount of time. 
     
     
         38 . The article of manufacture of  claim 36 , wherein the second loyalty account is associated with a charity. 
     
     
         39 . A system comprising:
 a processor,   a memory configured to communicate with the processor,   the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 maintaining a plurality of loyalty accounts having associated loyalty point balances, wherein the plurality of loyalty accounts include a plurality of first loyalty accounts and a second loyalty account; and 
 in response to a transfer indication, transferring loyalty points from the plurality of first loyalty accounts to the second loyalty account. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the transfer indication is a flag set on the plurality of first loyalty accounts.