Earning and using benefits for responses to internet advertising at a merchant location
First Claim
1. An incentive benefit program to encourage selected activities by users of a data network where a user is provided an opportunity to engage in the selected activity, and a benefit provider presents to the user an offer of compensation in return for the user electing to engage in the selected activity, wherein:
- the user is a customer performing a current transaction at a host merchant, and the selected activity is available to the customer at a terminal at a facility of the host merchant during the current transaction;
the compensation includes a discount that is applied to at least one of products and services that are normally sold by the host merchant to customers conducting business at the host merchant;
the discount being offered to the customer during the current transaction, after the customer engages in the selected activity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An incentive benefit program compensates customers for viewing advertising and other activities while conducting business at a host merchant. The compensation is in the form of an immediate discount toward goods and/or services at the host merchant. The discount may be a reduction in the customer'"'"'s bill, or additional product from the merchant. For example a customer may respond to ads on a display terminal of a gasoline pump while dispensing gas. The customer can then immediately receive additional gas or a reduced cost for the gas dispensed. A user releases no inherently valuable information, such as an email or home address or credit card number, to any entities to receive benefits. The user remains anonymous to the benefit provider and others. According to the invention a customer easily obtains benefits anonymously while the host merchant earns loyalty from such minimally identified customers.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An incentive benefit program to encourage selected activities by users of a data network where a user is provided an opportunity to engage in the selected activity, and a benefit provider presents to the user an offer of compensation in return for the user electing to engage in the selected activity, wherein:
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the user is a customer performing a current transaction at a host merchant, and the selected activity is available to the customer at a terminal at a facility of the host merchant during the current transaction;
the compensation includes a discount that is applied to at least one of products and services that are normally sold by the host merchant to customers conducting business at the host merchant;
the discount being offered to the customer during the current transaction, after the customer engages in the selected activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An incentive benefit program to encourage selected activities by visitors to a web site where a user is provided an opportunity to engage in the selected activity, and a benefit provider presents to the user an offer of compensation in return for the user electing to engage in the selected activity, wherein:
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the visitor is a customer performing a current transaction at the web site, and the selected activity is available to the customer on a device that incorporates an Internet browser;
the compensation includes a discount that is applied to at least one of products and services that are normally sold by the web site to customers conducting business at the web site;
the customer engaging in the selected activity causing a cookie to be received by his browser;
the cookie causing a discount or other benefit to be provided by the web site to the customer upon the customer'"'"'s transaction of business at the web site;
the cookie incorporating a mechanism that, upon the customer leaving the web site, causes the cookie to expire.
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Specification