Graphical coupon for service providers

• US 20020077892A1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Goring, Bryan R.
• Application Number:
  US09/738,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077892A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A system and method are provided for configuring and printing graphical coupons and/or receipts. The invention makes use of the ability of conventional receipt printers to print in a bit image mode. Most receipt printers (e.g., thermal printers, swecoin printers, etc.) are capable of providing a printed scanline composed of individual pixels that can be turned on or off. By printing several scanlines in succession or in alternating succession with specified pixels turned on and/or off, the printer may be employed to print high-resolution or low-resolution images (e.g. logos, pictures, coupons, etc.). Thus content providers (e.g. merchants, service providers, etc.) will have the ability to provide text, images or a combination of the two on each printed receipt

Claims

1. A method of printing a receipt which includes an image, comprising:

downloading transaction information;

retrieving an image associated with said transaction information;

converting said image into a pixels matrix representation;

printing at least one scan line by selectively printing pixels corresponding to said pixel matrix representation.

2. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 1 wherein said transaction information includes image information.

3. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 1 further comprising:

converting said image into a dithered black-and-white pixel matrix representation.

4. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 1 further comprising:

converting said image into a grey scale representation.

5. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 2 wherein said image information is a file name.

6. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 5 where in said retrieving said image includes downloading said image from a remote location.

7. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 2 wherein said image information is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

8. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 7 wherein said retrieving said image includes downloading said image from a remote location identified by said URL.

9. The method of printing a receipt according to claim 1 wherein said scan line is printed in a predetermined location on said receipt.

10. A method of printing a coupon which includes an image, comprising:

monitoring transaction information;

retrieving an image associated with said transaction information;

converting said image into a pixel matrix representation; and

,

printing at leasr one scan line by selectively printing pixels corresponding to said pixel matrix representation.

11. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 10 further comprising:

comparing said transaction information to a database; and

downloading image information from said database responsive to a match.

12. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 11 further comprising:

converting said image into grayscale.

13. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 12 further comprising:

converting said grayscale image into dithered black-and-white pixels.

14. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 11 wherein said image information is a file name.

15. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 10 wherein said retrieving said image includes downloading said image from a remote location.

16. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 11 wherein said image information is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

17. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 16 wherein said retrieving said image includes downloading said image from a remote location identified by said URL.

18. The method of printing a coupon according to claim 11 wherein said scan line is printed in a predetermined location on said receipt.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein said network includes the Internet.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein said software is further configured to convert said image into a black-and-white representation.

22. The system according to claim 19 wherein said work station includes a kiosk.

23. The system according to claim 19 wherein said work station includes a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal.

26. The method of advertising according to claim 25 further comprising:

monitoring transaction information and comparing said monitored information to information in said database; and

determining said image information to download based upon said comparison.

19. A system for printing a coupon or receipt which includes an image, comprising:

a work station capable of connecting to a network;

a printer in electrical communication with said work station; and

,

software loaded on said work station, wherein said software is configured to download image information from a remote location; and

,

convert an image associated with said image information into a pixel matrix representation; and

,

wherein said printer is configured to print at least one scan line by selectively printing pixels corresponding to said pixel matrix representation.

24. Apparatus for receipt generation comprising:

a coupon generator coupled to an input port of said apparatus, to receive and process purchase information relating to a transaction, said coupon generator providing at least one index pointer responsive to said purchase information; and

,

a coupon image database having accessible a plurality of coupon fields for storage and retrieval of coupon images, said coupon generator incorporating a related coupon image with said purchase information for transmission to an output port.

25. A method of advertising by printing an image on a receipt or coupon, the method comprising:

downloading image information from a database;

retrieving an image associated with said image information;

converting said image into grayscale;

converting said grayscale image into dithered black-and-white pixels;

converting said dithered pixels into a pixel matrix representation; and

,

printing at least one scan line by selectively printing pixels corresponding to said pixel matrix representation.