System and method of electronically verifying required proof-of-performance to secure promotional rewards

Abstract

A proof-of-performance verification system may include a receipt processing facility that receives a receipt image, wherein the receipt processing facility optionally enhances the receipt, converts the receipt image to text, and matches the text to a product or service description in accordance with a terminology database, a proof processor that electronically matches a user-selected reward offer against the product or service description to facilitate offer redemption, and at least one of a payment facility that distributes the offer redemption funds and a rewards facility that communicates incentive rewards to a central location. Related user interfaces, applications, and computer program products are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 providing a receipts server;   receiving in the receipts server a secure digital receipt, said secure digital receipt communicated to the receipts server from a point-of-sale device and including an unalterable digital mark; and   associating the received digital receipt with a user identification stored in the receipts server.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 delivering the secure digital receipt to a user associated with the user identification.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 verifying an identity of the user via at least one of a fingerprint, an eye scan, facial recognition and a password.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication that the user has selected an offer, said indication received prior to said secure digital receipt.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 matching a line item in the received digital receipt to said selected offer.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 distributing a reward or rebate to the user to reflect redemption of said selected offer to which said line item was matched.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said received receipt includes line items that correspond to categories of products;
 the method further comprising:
 disregarding ones of said categories of products that do not match categories of offers pre-selected by the user. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 matching pre-selected offers to line-items in the received receipt;   providing the list of matched offers to the user; and   providing an opportunity to the user to indicate if a match of a pre-selected offer to a line-item in the receipt was missed.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the unalterable digital mark includes at least one of a bar code, a QR code and an image. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the user identification includes at least one of a unique sender ID, an email address and a mobile phone number. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 storing the received digital receipt in a receipts database that includes other receipts, said other receipts formed from data obtained by scanning paper receipts.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 analyzing the receipts database to detect customer purchase behaviors.   
     
     
         30 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing program instructions, the processor operative with the program instructions to perform functions as follows:
 receiving a secure digital receipt, said secure digital receipt communicated from a point-of-sale device and including an unalterable digital mark; and 
 associating the received digital receipt with a user identification. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the unalterable digital mark includes at least one of a bar code, a QR code and an image. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the user identification includes at least one of a unique sender ID, an email address and a mobile phone number. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 deliver the secure digital receipt to a user associated with the user identification.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is further operative with the program instructions to:
 receive an indication that the user has selected an offer, said indication received prior to said secure digital receipt.   
     
     
         35 . A method, comprising:
 receiving in a receipts server a plurality of secure digital receipts, each of said secure digital receipts communicated to the receipts server from a respective point-of-sale device and including a respective unalterable digital mark;   storing said secure digital receipts in a database;   receiving a plurality of data items, each of said data items generated from scanning paper receipts produced in purchase transactions;   storing the data items in said database; and   analyzing the secure digital receipts and the data items stored in the database to detect customer purchase behavior based on the stored digital receipts and the stored data items.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein each of the unalterable digital marks includes at least one of a bar code, a QR code and an image. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein at least some of the digital receipts each include a plurality of line items, each of said line items corresponding to a respective product purchased in a transaction represented by said each digital receipt.