Apparatus and method for storing electronic receipts on a unified card

Abstract

A Unified Card system allows customers to store receipts on a Unified Card when making purchases from different retailer merchants. The customer purchases goods or services and the receipt is recorded electronically onto a single Unified Card. This eliminates the need for paper receipts. The user can then use the Unified Card to make returns or exchanges or as proof of purchase. Unified Card readers can be located at Kiosks as part of a home based system that works with the user's home computer.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]Many people start the work day by making a going to a gas station, parking to catch the train, then going to a Starbucks to pick up a coffee. Around mid day, people may stop by the local deli, Subway, or any restaurant to get our lunch followed by dessert if possible. At the end of the work day on the way back home, many people stop to pickup our dry cleaning, then go to a grocery store to buy our daily essentials like milk, juice, bread, etc. By the end of the week day, a person can accumulate 10-12 paper receipts. Weekends can include many purchases such as shopping at stores, drive through food, movies, car washes, etc. Essentially, at the end of each week, people can collect a large amount of receipts most of which end up in their wallets waiting to be reconciled or used again for a return or exchange. This can be an infinite cycle on a daily basis and millions of paper receipts are generated from sales that may not have an immediate use or need. At the end of th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]A Unified Card system and method can be used by customers to store receipts from different retailer merchants like: Starbucks, Subway, McDonalds, Baskin Robin, or any other goods or service providers. The customers can store all receipts on their Unified Card without having to pre register, sign up, or even filling out a form.

Problems solved by technology

At the end of the month, reconciling all of these receipts can be a very time consuming process.

This accumulation of receipts can become a necessary burden on the end customer since these receipts must be saved for returns, exchanges, taxes, tracking of personal spending, etc.

There is no widely known system or method that overcomes the above issues.

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