Mobile Phone Based Rebate Device for Redemption at a Point of Sale Terminal

Abstract

Virtual mobile rewards, gift cards, and/or physical world retailers' loyalty and reward programs are aggregated into a common account accessible and transactional from an Internet capable mobile radio device. Subscribers gain access to discounted codes, coupons, rebates, gift cards, and/or limited time offers, on their mobile device for food, travel, lifestyle, electronics, and entertainment products that fit their lifestyle spending habits, enabling users to edit participating retailers, manage separate account balances, and present preferred discounted offers at retailers and apply discount towards purchase of goods.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device, comprising:
 a remote computer system receiving from a physical point of sale (POS) terminal, bar code data for purchase of a product or service, wherein the bar code data originates from the Internet capable mobile device as a bar code;   the remote computer system processing the bar code data to determine an account identifier that identifies a given user of the Internet capable mobile device;   the remote computer system, in response to at least the processed bar code data, communicating an authentication for the sales transaction to the physical POS terminal; and   the remote computer system updating an account for the given user to reflect use of the bar code.   
     
     
         12 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 aggregating a plurality of retail discounts specifically for use by the given user.   
     
     
         13 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 pushing, from the remote computer system, a suggested retailer program from the account for the given user, to the Internet capable mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adding a gift value into the account for the given user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the gift value is transferred into the account for the given user of the Internet capable mobile device from a different user of a different Internet capable mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adding a loyalty reward value into the account for the given user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the remote computer system synchronizing with multiple external computer systems to provide a consolidated, single account for the given user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 the remote computer system managing a plurality of different loyalty programs in the single account for the given user.   
     
     
         19 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the account for the given user including a plurality of retailer sub accounts.   
     
     
         20 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 19 , wherein the bar code is unique to one of the plurality of retailer sub accounts. 
     
     
         21 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote computer system debits the account for the given user of the mobile device to reflect use of the bar code.   
     
     
         22 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bar code comprises a redemption code that is redeemable to complete the purchase of the product or service that is a subject of the sales transaction.   
     
     
         23 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bar code is issued by the remote computer system to the given user of the Internet capable mobile device at a time prior to completion of the sales transaction.   
     
     
         24 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bar code has a monetary value creditable to the given user towards the purchase of the product or service that is a subject of the sales transaction.   
     
     
         25 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote computer system processes similar sales transactions on behalf of a plurality of different merchants for a plurality of different users in addition to the given user.   
     
     
         26 . The method of facilitating a sales transaction with an Internet capable mobile device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bar code comprises a discount code that is redeemable for applying a discount to the product or service that is a subject of the sales transaction.