Computerized credit information system coupon coding
First Claim
1. A computerized coupon marketing device;
- the device comprising;
a) a card having stored thereon consumer identification information;
b) a remote coupon server computer having stored thereon coupon information, the coupon information being associated with the consumer identification information;
c) a point of sale station able to read information from the card;
d) a credit information system connecting the point of sale device and the remote coupon server computer;
e) the point of sale device transmitting to the coupon server computer via the credit information system the consumer identification information read from the card by such point of sale station;
f) the coupon server computer transmitting to the point of sale station via the credit information system the coupon information associated with the consumer identification information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention teaches a device allowing the use of the credit card information system, presently used to convey only credit, identification, and transaction total amount information, to convey details of the products sold and further to re-convey coupon information to the retailer. The primary server continues to serve its normal role as an arbiter or communicator between the retailer'"'"'s computer system/POS terminal and those large computers used to verify transaction information, i.e. receiving and retransmitting packets of data between other computers which handle processing of the information. Database maintenance and access, transaction processing, coupon UPC matching and tranmission and other tasks are carried out by the coupon server. The additional information which needs to be sent and retransmitted is the product identifier (for example, a UPC code). Since UPC codes are also used for coupon information, this functions in both directions. Price adjustment based upon coupons is still carried out normally at the register.
The software necessary to carry out the operation at the POS station/register level may be implemented in parallel to the retailer'"'"'s normal transaction applications (the software the usually handles sales, returns and other POS transactions). In one embodiment, this may be implemented at the level of COM hooks which capture and route or reroute information as needed for the operation of the invention.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computerized coupon marketing device;
- the device comprising;
a) a card having stored thereon consumer identification information;
b) a remote coupon server computer having stored thereon coupon information, the coupon information being associated with the consumer identification information;
c) a point of sale station able to read information from the card;
d) a credit information system connecting the point of sale device and the remote coupon server computer;
e) the point of sale device transmitting to the coupon server computer via the credit information system the consumer identification information read from the card by such point of sale station;
f) the coupon server computer transmitting to the point of sale station via the credit information system the coupon information associated with the consumer identification information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the device comprising;
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15. A computerized coupon marketing method of coupon marketing comprising the steps of:
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a) issuing a card having stored thereon consumer identification information;
b) providing a remote coupon server computer having stored thereon coupon information, the coupon information being associated with the consumer identification information;
c) using a point of sale station to read information from the card;
d) transmitting from the point of sale device to the coupon server computer via a credit information system the consumer identification information when the consumer identification information is read from the card by such point of sale station;
e) transmitting from the coupon server computer to the point of sale station via the credit information system the coupon information associated with the consumer identification information. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification