US 11,676,172 B2
Unified payment and return on investment system
Jadam Kahn, Chicago, IL (US); Mike Aparicio, Chicago, IL (US); Michael Hines, Chicago, IL (US); Shafiq Shariff, Chicago, IL (US); Todd Webb, Wheaton, IL (US); and Derek Nordquist, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to GROUPON, INC., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by GROUPON, INC., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/78,993.
Application 17/078,993 is a continuation of application No. 13/841,347, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, granted, now 10,853,836.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/682,762, filed on Aug. 13, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0110427 A1, Apr. 15, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/0242 (2023.01); G06Q 30/0241 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 30/0242 (2013.01) [G06Q 30/0247 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive, by the at least one processor, a notice of sale of one or more promotions associated with a sale amount, the sale amount indicative of an amount paid by one or more consumers to purchase the one or more promotions;
determine, by the at least one processor based on at least the sale amount, a payment amount reflecting a distribution to a merchant associated with the one or more promotions;
determine, by the at least one processor based on at least the sale amount, a holdback amount to hold in reserve, the holdback amount comprising a portion of the sale amount;
receive, by the at least one processor, a refund request associated with at least one of the one or more consumers;
determine, by the at least one processor based on a refund amount, an adjusted holdback amount, the adjusted holdback amount comprising the holdback amount less the refund amount;
generate, by the at least one processor, a payment schedule for the payment amount and the adjusted holdback amount, wherein one or more changes to the payment schedule are made in real-time and are provided via a live graphical representation, collaboratively built responsive to values received from the apparatus;
cause, by the at least one processor, initiation of a first transfer of funds to the merchant in accordance with the payment schedule, wherein the first transfer of funds to the merchant comprises at least a portion of the payment amount;
determine, by the at least one processor, that at least one of the one or more promotions are no longer offered for sale based on an expiration date of the at least one of the one or more promotions; and
in response to the determination that at least the one of the one or more promotions is no longer offered for sale, cause, by the at least one processor, initiation of a second transfer of funds to the merchant in accordance with the payment schedule, wherein the second transfer of funds to the merchant comprises at least a portion of the adjusted holdback amount.