System and method for providing and redeeming electronic paperless coupons

• US 20020178060A1
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: ACTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Sheehan, Patrick M.
• Application Number:
  US10/154,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178060A1
• 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 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

A system and method for providing and redeeming electronic paperless coupons. Electronic coupons in accordance with the present invention are typically generated by a content or online services provider and retrieved by a consumer. In one embodiment, the electronic coupon may be embedded in a video or audio program received and enjoyed by the consumer, while in another embodiment, the coupon may be transmitted via a separate signal. A variety of devices, including televisions, set-top boxes, personal computers (PCs), and so forth may be used to request, receive, and/or redeem electronic coupons. Electronic coupons may be transmitted across a packet switched network, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a circuit switched network, a landline based telephone system, dedicated fiber-optic lines, a cellular network, a combination circuit switched and packet switched network, and/or any other type of network capable of transmitting information.

Claims

1. A method for providing an electronic paperless coupon in conjunction with a programming signal to at least one consumer, comprising:

generating a programming signal;

generating an electronic coupon signal;

transmitting the programming signal and the electronic coupon signal to at least one consumer;

wherein the electronic coupon signal relates to content provided in the programming signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising embedding the electronic coupon signal into the programming signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic coupon signal is embedded into the programming signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic programming signal is embedded into the vertical blanking interval of a video portion of the programming signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic coupon signal further comprises an address identifying an online information provider providing an electronic coupon, whereupon establishing a communications link between a client device and the online information provider the electronic coupon can be obtained.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming signal and the electronic coupon signal are transmitted by a head-end system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the programming signal and the electronic coupon signal are communicated separately.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the programming signal is communicated over a first data channel and the electronic coupon signal is communicated over a second data channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic programming signal includes a time stamp indicating when relative to the programming signal to present the electronic coupon signal to the at least one consumer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic coupon signal is transmitted to the at least one consumer independent of the programming signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the programming signal and the electronic coupon signal is communicated to the consumer over at least one of broadcast television, cable, satellite, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a wide area network, a wired network and a wireless network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electronic coupon signal and the programming signal is provided in an analog, a digital or a digitally compressed format.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming signal is communicated over a first communications link and the electronic coupon signal is communicated over a second communications link.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic coupon signal is communicated over a packet switched network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic coupon signal is communicated in conjunction with the programming signal.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic coupon signal is communicated independent of the programming signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic coupon signal relates to the content of at least one of the programming signal and the online content.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic coupon signal is communicated to the at least one consumer over at least one of a packet switched network, the Internet and an intranet and the programming signal is communicated to the at least one consumer via at least one of a cable system, broadcast television, broadcast radio, and a satellite system.

15. A method of communicating an electronic coupon signal to at least one consumer, wherein the electronic coupon signal relates to a programming signal transmitted to the at least one consumer, wherein the programming signal includes an address identifying an online information provider providing online content related to the programming signal, comprising:

obtaining an electronic coupon signal; and

communicating the electronic coupon signal to the at least one consumer.

20. A method of applying an electronic coupon to a transaction, comprising:

determining whether at least one electronic coupon is available to apply to a transaction for at least one good or service; and

when at least one coupon is available to apply to the transaction, applying the at least one coupon to the transaction;

wherein the electronic coupon relates to a programming signal communicated to a consumer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determination of whether at least one electronic coupon is available to apply to a transaction further comprises:

obtaining access to an electronic coupon;

determining whether the electronic coupon relates to a good or service set forth in the transaction; and

when a relationship exists between the electronic coupon and the good or service, designating the electronic coupon as available to the transaction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the electronic coupon is obtained from a portable coupon device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises a smart card presented by the consumer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises a consumer'"'"'s club card.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein access to the electronic coupon is obtained from at least one of a backend system, a head-end system and a database.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the backend system further comprises a server associated with at least one retailer and an administrator of electronic coupons for a plurality of retailers.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one electronic coupon is communicated to a consumer in an electronic coupon signal provided in conjunction with a programming signal into which at least one address has been inserted which identifies an online information provider providing content related to the programming signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic coupon signal is presented to the consumer on a client device and the programming signal is presented to the consumer on a presentation device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic signal and the programming signal are presented to the consumer at the same time.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving an indication from a consumer that the consumer desires to utilize an electronic coupon presented in relation to a programming signal;

saving the electronic coupon in a database.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the indication that the consumer desires to utilize an electronic coupon is provided by a communications signal transmitted by a remote control device accessed by the consumer.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the communications signal is transmitted by the remote control device upon the consumer depressing a coupon select button.

33. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code, the computer readable program code including instructions for processing an electronic coupon related to a programming signal by;

receiving a communication from a portable coupon device;

determining, based upon the communication, whether an electronic coupon related to a programming signal is available;

comparing each transactional item entered into a merchant transaction processing system with each available electronic coupon, wherein one result of the comparison indicates that an electronic coupon relates to a transaction and designates the electronic coupon as a redeemable electronic coupon;

applying each redeemable electronic coupon to the transaction;

whereupon applying a redeemable electronic coupon an amount owed for the transaction is reduced by an amount specified by the redeemable electronic coupon.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the article of manufacture comprises at least one of a compact disc, DVD, a memory stick, a magnetic disc, magnetic tape, optical disc, memory card, a magnetically readable device, an optically readable device, and a holographically readable device.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the communication from the portable coupon device is received by swiping a magnetically readable card through a card reader.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the communication from the portable coupon device is received by scanning an optically readable device with an optical scanner.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises a consumer'"'"'s club card.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises a smart card.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises at least one of a magnetic card, optical card, wireless smart card, credit card, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant, and a mobile device.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the electronic coupon is stored at a cable head-end and the operation of determining whether an electronic coupon is related to a programming signal is available further comprises:

establishing a communications link with a database;

based upon an identification of a consumer, determining whether any electronic coupons are available for the consumer to redeem; and

when an electronic coupon is available, obtaining an identification of each available electronic coupon.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 40, wherein the database is provided at at least one of a cable head-end, a backend, an electronic coupon clearance system, and a merchant database.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 40, wherein the identification of the consumer is obtained from the portable coupon device.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the electronic coupon is provided to a consumer in conjunction with a programming signal.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 43, wherein the programming signal includes at least one address identifying a provider of online content which relates to the programming signal.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the operation of determining whether an electronic coupon is available occurs upon request from a consumer to the transaction.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the operation of determining whether an electronic coupon is available occurs automatically upon an identification of a consumer to the transaction.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 47, wherein the consumer is identified based upon data obtained from at least one of a smart card, a club card, a credit card, a drivers license, a telephone number, a biometric identifier, a verbal identification of the consumer, and written identification of the consumer.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the article of manufacture comprises at least one of a compact disc, DVD, a memory stick, a magnetic disc, magnetic tape, optical disc, memory card, a magnetically readable device, an optically readable device, and a holographically readable device.

45. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code, the computer readable program code including instructions for processing an electronic coupon related to a programming signal, by;

determining, with respect to a transaction, whether an electronic coupon related to a programming signal is available;

comparing each transactional item entered into a merchant transaction processing system with each available electronic coupon, wherein one result of the comparison indicates that an electronic coupon relates to a transaction and designates the electronic coupon as a redeemable electronic coupon;

applying each redeemable electronic coupon to the transaction;

whereupon applying a redeemable electronic coupon an amount owed for the transaction is reduced by an amount specified by the redeemable electronic coupon.

50. A computer readable data transmission medium containing a computer readable data structure utilized by a computer to provide an electronic coupon to a consumer for use in a transaction for a good or service, the computer readable data structure comprising:

a specification of at least one good or service; and

a specification of a discount to be applied to each specified good or service;

wherein the computer readable instructions relate to a programming signal.

51. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50 wherein the programming signal includes an address identifying a provider of online content related to the programming signal.

52. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the computer readable data structure is embedded within the programming signal.

53. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the computer readable data structure is communicated to the consumer separate from the programming signal.

54. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the computer readable data structure is communicated to the consumer over at least one of a packet switched network and a circuit switched network.

55. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the computer readable data structure further comprises a specification to provide an indicator signal which indicates to the consumer that an electronic coupon is available.

56. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 55, wherein the specification to provide an indicator signal further comprises an instruction to generate an indicator signal comprising at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator.

57. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the computer readable data structure further comprises an expiration date identifying when the discount will no longer be available.

58. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 50, wherein the electronic coupon is customized to the consumer.

59. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 58, wherein the electronic coupon is customized based upon a user profile.

60. The computer readable data transmission medium of claim 59, wherein the user profile is based upon at least one of a program the consumer is watching or hearing, a Web page the consumer is accessing, demographic information, viewing history, geographic location information, consumer coupon history, and past user purchases.

61. A method for engaging in a commercial transaction in which a cost of at least one good or service in the transaction is reduced by an electronic coupon, comprising

receiving an electronic coupon related to a programming signal from a consumer;

determining whether the electronic coupon should be applied to at least one good or service in the transaction; and

when the electronic coupon should be applied, deducting a value associated with the electronic coupon from the transaction.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the electronic coupon relates to a programming signal in which at least one address is embedded, the address identifying a provider of online content which relates to the programming signal.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the consumer receives the electronic coupon while viewing the programming signal.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein prior to receiving the electronic coupon, the consumer is presented with an indicator signal, the indicator signal notifying the consumer that the electronic coupon may be selected by the consumer.

65. The method of claim 61, wherein the electronic coupon is received via a portable coupon device.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises at least one of a magnetic card, optical card, wireless smart card, credit card, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant, and a mobile device.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the portable coupon device further comprises a club card associated with a consumer.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein receiving the electronic coupon further comprises:

obtaining computer usable data from the club card;

identifying a consumer associated with the club card based upon the computer usable data;

accessing a database containing information related to the identified consumer;

determining from the database whether any electronic coupons are available for the consumer; and

retrieving any available electronic coupons from the database.

69. The method of claim 61, wherein the electronic coupon is received from a database.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the database is provided at at least one of a cable head-end, a backend, an electronic coupon clearance system, and a merchant database.