SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PUBLISHING, DISTRIBUTING AND REDEEMING COUPONS ON A NETWORK

• US 20020010623A1
• Filed: 12/01/1998
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: MCCOLLOM, WILLIAM GIRARD, ABLES, ROBERT KING, MEYER, SHANE DOUGLAS, STEIGERWALD, SILVI KIISK, COTTEN, CAROLYN SOBERALSKE, FINK, MARTIN ROBERT, BRAY, JACQUELINE ANN
• Application Number:
  US09/203,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system and method publish, distribute and redeem coupons on a network system. The system and method utilize a merchant server and a commerce server. The merchant server provides the merchant the ability to transmit requests to create a coupon, and transmit coupon data regarding the coupon creation. The commerce server receives the requests to create a coupon, and receives the coupon creation data. The commerce server saves the coupon data to a coupon database, and provides access to the coupon to customers on the network. A merchant server further provides the merchant the ability to receive a request for purchasing an item, and a request for redeeming a coupon for that purchase from a consumer. The merchant server verifies the coupon is a valid coupon, and allows the coupon to be redeemed in the purchase of the item if the coupon is valid. The merchant server upon redemption of the coupon, updates a coupon database to record that the coupon has been redeemed by the customer.

Claims

1. A method for publishing and distributing coupons on a network system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to create a coupon;

receiving coupon data for said coupon;

saving said coupon data to a database; and

providing access on said network to said coupon by a customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing said access further includes the step of:

linking said coupon to a world wide web page.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of linking said linking said coupon to a internet web page further includes the step of:

utilizing an uniform resource locator to link said coupon to a world wide web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing said access further includes the step of:

providing for an ability of said customer to search said coupon database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of providing for an ability of said customer to search said coupon database further includes the step of:

enabling said customer to search said coupon database by a coupon characteristic, wherein said coupon characteristic is selected from a group consisting of a product name, a product identification number, a product category, a coupon expiration date, a vendor name, or a vendor identification number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing said access further includes the step of:

providing for an ability of said customer to store said coupon data on a customer device.

7. A method for redeeming coupons during an purchase using a merchant server on a network system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for purchasing an item from a consumer;

receiving a request for redeeming a coupon for said purchase of said item from said consumer;

verifying said coupon is a valid coupon;

allowing said coupon to be redeemed in said purchase of said item if said coupon is a valid coupon; and

updating a coupon database to record that said coupon has been redeemed by said customer.

8. A commerce system for publishing and distributing coupons on a network system, comprising:

means for receiving a request to create a coupon from a vendor;

means for receiving coupon data for said coupon from said vendor;

means for saving said coupon data to a database; and

means for providing access to said coupon by a customer on said network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said providing means further comprises:

means for linking said coupon to a world wide web page.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said linking means further comprises:

means for utilizing an uniform resource locator to link said coupon to a world wide web page.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said providing means further comprises:

means for providing for an ability of said customer to search said coupon database.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said search providing means further comprises:

means for enabling said customer to search said coupon database by a coupon characteristic, wherein said coupon characteristic is selected from a group consisting of a product name, a product identification number, a product category, a coupon expiration date, a vendor name, or a vendor identification number.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said providing means further comprises:

means for providing for an ability of said customer to store said coupon data on a customer device.

14. A merchant server on a network system for redeeming coupons during a purchase, said merchant server comprising:

means for receiving a request for purchasing an item from a consumer;

means for receiving a request for redeeming a coupon for said purchase of said item from said consumer;

means for verifying said coupon is a valid coupon;

means for allowing said coupon to be redeemed in said purchase of said item if said coupon is a valid coupon; and

means for updating a coupon database to record that said coupon has been redeemed by said customer.

15. A computer system for publishing and distributing coupons on a network system, comprising:

a merchant server that transmits request to create a coupon and transmits coupon data regarding said coupon; and

a commerce server that receives said request to create a coupon, receives said coupon data regarding said coupon, saves said coupon data to a coupon database, and provides access to a customer on said network to said coupon.

16. The commerce server of claim 15, further comprising:

a first commerce mechanism for linking said coupon to a world wide web page.

17. The commerce server of claim 15, further comprising:

a second commerce mechanism providing for an uniform resource locator to link said coupon to a world wide web page.

18. The commerce server of claim 15, further comprising:

a third commerce mechanism providing for an ability of said customer to search said coupon database.

19. The commerce server of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth commerce mechanism enabling said customer to search said coupon database by a coupon characteristic, wherein said coupon characteristic is selected from a group consisting of a product name, a product identification number, a product category, a coupon expiration date, a vendor name, or a vendor identification number.

20. The commerce server of claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth commerce mechanism providing for an ability of said customer to store said coupon data on a customer device.

21. A merchant server on a network system for redeeming coupons during a purchase, said merchant server comprising:

a first merchant mechanism for receiving a request for purchasing an item from a consumer;

a second merchant mechanism for receiving a request for redeeming a coupon for said purchase of said item from said consumer;

a third merchant mechanism for verifying said coupon is a valid coupon;

a fourth merchant mechanism for allowing said coupon to be redeemed in said purchase of said item if said coupon is a valid coupon; and

a fifth merchant mechanism for updating a coupon database to record that said coupon has been redeemed by said customer.