Automated coupon solution

• US 20030024981A1
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Narasimhan, Sangeetha
• Application Number:
  US09/920,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20030024981A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for automatically finding discount coupons on a data network. The preferred embodiment provides an automated coupon redemption unit comprising a code scanner for reading codes from a plurality of consumer items, a network interface for facilitating access to a data network, and a search algorithm for automatically searching said data network for coupons responsive to said codes.

Claims

1. An automated coupon redemption unit comprising:

a code scanner for reading codes from a plurality of consumer items;

a network interface for facilitating access to a data network; and

a search algorithm for automatically searching said data network for coupons responsive to said codes.

2. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a printer for printing ones of said coupons found on said data network.

3. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface for receiving customer information for filling out ones of said coupons.

4. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising;

a database for storing at least one set of customer information for automatically filling out ones of said coupons.

5. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a device for reading customer information from a plurality of storage media.

6. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 5 wherein said storage media comprises at least one of:

a magnetically encoded identification card;

a credit card;

a smart card; and

a bar code.

7. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a display for presenting ones of said coupons to a customer.

8. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 7 further comprising:

a selection algorithm allowing said customer to selectively choose ones of said coupons for use.

9. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a data communication device for automatically communicating ones of said coupons to corresponding coupon issuers.

10. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 1 further comprising logic for matching said coupons to purchased products prior to redemption of said coupon at a point of sale.

11. The automated coupon redemption unit of claim 10 wherein said coupons are automatically redeemed at said point of sale when said coupons match said purchased products.

12. A method for automatically locating discount coupons comprising the steps of:

reading a code from a product;

automatically connecting to a data network;

automatically searching said data network for said discount coupons associated with said code; and

retrieving said discount coupons resulting from said searching step.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

printing said retrieved discount coupons.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

entering information relating to a customer onto ones of said retrieved discount coupons.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

automatically filling ones of said retrieved discount coupons with information relating to a customer.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

displaying said retrieved discount coupons to a customer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

presenting options to a customer for selecting ones of said displayed discount coupons.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

communicating ones of said retrieved discount coupons to an issuer of said discount coupons.

19. A system for automatically finding product coupons comprising:

means for scanning a UPC code from a product;

means for automatically communicating with the Internet;

means for automatically searching said Internet for said product coupons related to said UPC code; and

means for printing said coupons.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for conveying said coupons to a coupon sponsor.