Appeal No. 2003-2131
Application 09/309,834
entering a consumer account number), a transaction data input
device 22 (e.g., a keyboard or cash register), a memory 24 for
storing an operating program, the consumer and transaction data
and a credit rate selected by the merchant, and an input/output
device 26 through which the microprocessor communicates consumer
account numbers, calculated credit values or rebates and merchant
data to the central system. The central system comprises an
input/output device 40, a bill printer 44, an access
authorization unit 46, a memory 48, a consumer accounts memory
50, a merchant accounts memory 52 and a microprocessor 54.
Periodically, the central system bills merchants for operating
fees and the cash rebates and sends a total rebate value for each
consumer account to the access authorization unit 46. This unit
communicates with (1) one or more electronic terminals 60 for
dispensing rebate funds to the consumers, (2) banking
institutions for wire transfer of rebate funds directly to the
consumers’ bank accounts, or (3) a printer for producing rebate
checks which are mailed to the consumers. McCarthy describes the
operation of the foregoing system as follows:
when a consumer makes a purchase, the consumer’s Social
Security number and birthdate are entered along with
the amount of the purchase at the point-of-sale. Where
a plastic card with a magnetic stripe is used for entry
of the consumer data, a PIN code is also entered and
4
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