Wireless electronic coupon redemption

• US 20030074259A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clipacoupon Com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clipacoupon Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Ridinger, Thomas D., Slyman, David J. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US09/978,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0221 Re-usable coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds

Abstract

A method for redeeming an electronic coupon receives the electronic coupon from a network into a purchaser'"'"'s mobile electronic device. A merchant authentication identifier is received into the mobile device as a function of a current status of the electronic coupon. The current status is set to a final status as a function of the current status and a validity of the merchant authentication identifier.

Claims

1. A method for redeeming an electronic coupon, the method comprising:

receiving the electronic coupon from a network into a purchaser'"'"'s mobile electronic device;

receiving a merchant authentication identifier into the mobile device as a function of a current status of the electronic coupon; and

setting the current status to a final status as a function of the current status and a validity of the merchant authentication identifier.

2. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 1,

further including:

determining the current status of the electronic coupon;

wherein if the current status is set as available, the receiving the identifier includes;

receiving the merchant authentication identifier into the mobile device; and

wherein if the current status is set as unavailable, the receiving the identifier includes;

preventing the merchant authentication identifier from being received into the mobile device.

3. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 2, wherein the determining includes at least one of:

determining if the electronic coupon has been redeemed a predetermined number of times; and

determining if the electronic coupon is expired.

4. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 1, further including:

after the setting, transmitting the final status to a central computer readable medium.

5. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 4, wherein the transmitting includes one of:

transmitting the final status substantially immediately after the changing; and

transmitting the final status during a subsequent synchronization of the mobile device and the central computer readable medium.

6. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 1,

further including:

presenting the mobile device to a merchant; and

wherein the receiving the identifier includes;

inputting the merchant authentication identifier into the mobile device by the merchant.

7. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the setting includes:

if the current status is set as available and the merchant authentication identifier is valid, setting the final status as unavailable.

8. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 7, further including:

comparing the merchant authentication identifier with a master authentication identifier for determining if the merchant authentication identifier is valid.

9. The method for redeeming an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 8, wherein the receiving includes:

receiving the master authentication identifier into the mobile device.

10. A method for providing an electronic discount to a product, the method comprising:

transmitting an electronic voucher to a mobile electronic device accessed by a buyer;

clipping the electronic voucher within the mobile device;

transmitting a seller verification code associated with the clipped electronic voucher to the mobile electronic device;

redeeming the electronic voucher as a function of the seller verification code; and

flagging the electronic voucher as having been redeemed as a function of the seller verification code.

11. The method for providing an electronic discount to a product as set forth in claim 10, further including:

before the clipping, ensuring the electronic voucher has not been flagged as already having been redeemed a predetermined number of times.

12. The method for providing an electronic discount to a product as set forth in claim 10, further including:

transmitting a second electronic voucher to the mobile electronic device;

browsing the electronic vouchers with the mobile electronic device; and

before the clipping, selecting one of the electronic vouchers.

13. The method for providing an electronic discount to a product as set forth in claim 10, further including one of:

transmitting a signal indicating the electronic voucher has been redeemed to a central storage device substantially immediately after the redeeming; and

transmitting the signal indicating the electronic voucher has been redeemed to the central storage device during a subsequent synchronization of the mobile electronic device and the central storage device.

14. The method for providing an electronic discount to a product as set forth in claim 10, wherein the flagging includes:

disabling the electronic voucher for future use.

15. The method for providing an electronic discount to a product as set forth in claim 10, further including:

discounting a price of the product according to an amount indicated by the electronic voucher.

16. A system for processing an electronic coupon, comprising:

a central computer readable medium storing a signal representing an electronic coupon;

a network communicating with the central computer readable medium;

a purchaser'"'"'s mobile electronic device communicating with the network, the signal representing the electronic coupon being received into the mobile electronic device from the central computer readable medium via the network;

means for receiving a merchant authentication identifier into the mobile device as a function of a current status of the electronic coupon;

means for setting a final status of the electronic coupon as a function of the current status and a validity of the merchant authentication identifier; and

means for transmitting the final status to the central computer readable medium.

17. The system for processing an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 16, wherein the means for receiving includes at least one of:

a light transmitter for transmitting the merchant authentication identifier;

a light receiver included in the mobile electronic device for detecting the merchant authentication identifier from the light transmitter; and

means for keying the merchant authentication identifier into the electronic mobile device.

18. The system for processing an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 16,

further including:

means for determining the current status of the electronic coupon as a function of at least one of a number of times the electronic coupon has been redeemed and an expiration of the electronic coupon;

wherein;

if the current status of the electronic coupon is set as available, the merchant authentication identifier is received into the mobile device; and

if the current status of the electronic coupon is set as unavailable, the merchant authentication identifier is not received into the mobile device.

19. The system for processing an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 16, wherein if the current status is set as available and the merchant authentication identifier is valid, the means for setting sets the final status as unavailable.

20. The system for processing an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 16, wherein the means for transmitting includes one of:

means for transmitting the final status substantially immediately after the means for setting sets the final status; and

means for transmitting the final status during a subsequent synchronization of the central computer readable medium and the mobile electronic device.

21. The system for processing an electronic coupon as set forth in claim 16, wherein the signal representing the electronic coupon includes a master authentication identifier, the system further including:

means for comparing the merchant authentication identifier and the master authentication identifier for determining the validity of the merchant authentication identifier.