Method and system for automated linkable promotions
First Claim
1. An electronic purchasing system for enabling a user to purchase goods and services from at least one vendor, the purchasing system comprising:
- a smart card for communicating with the at least one vendor, the smart card comprising;
an electronic coupon book for storing at least one electronic coupon, coupon downloading tools for transferring the at least one electronic coupon to the electronic coupon book, and vendor recognition tools for identifying a specific vendor and accessing an applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor;
an electronic wallet comprising;
account access information for at least one user account, and purchasing tools;
wherein the purchasing tools are adapted to allow a user to complete a purchase transaction using the account access information, and at least some of the terms of the purchase transaction are based on the applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises an electronic purchasing system. In one embodiment, the electronic purchasing system may operate through a user communicating with a system server and at least one partner system over a network. The user possesses an electronic wallet and an electronic coupon book that facilitate purchasing. The electronic coupon book is stored on a smart card and receives its coupons either from the system server or from the partner system for either immediate or subsequent use by the user system. In another embodiment, the user may be provided with a system having coupon downloading tools, vendor recognition tools, purchasing tools, an input device for receiving account access information and communication tools for communicating with vendors, and the user can use a conventional credit card to consummate purchases using downloaded coupons. In either embodiment, the user system and the partner system are capable of recognition in order to activate coupons only for appropriate participants.
215 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An electronic purchasing system for enabling a user to purchase goods and services from at least one vendor, the purchasing system comprising:
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a smart card for communicating with the at least one vendor, the smart card comprising;
an electronic coupon book for storing at least one electronic coupon, coupon downloading tools for transferring the at least one electronic coupon to the electronic coupon book, and vendor recognition tools for identifying a specific vendor and accessing an applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor;
an electronic wallet comprising;
account access information for at least one user account, and purchasing tools;
wherein the purchasing tools are adapted to allow a user to complete a purchase transaction using the account access information, and at least some of the terms of the purchase transaction are based on the applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic purchasing system for enabling a user to purchase goods and services from at least one vendor, the purchasing system comprising:
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an electronic wallet comprising;
an electronic coupon book for storing at least one electronic coupon, coupon downloading tools for transferring the at least one electronic coupon to the electronic coupon book, vendor recognition tools for identifying a specific vendor and identifying at least one applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor, account access information for at least one user account, and purchasing tools;
a smart card for consummating a purchase transaction with the at least one vendor, the smart card comprising;
coupon access tools for accessing the at least one applicable electronic coupon; and
wherein the purchasing tools are adapted to allow a user to complete a purchase transaction using the account access information, and at least some of the terms of the purchase transaction are based on the applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A user system for enabling a user to purchase goods and services from at least one vendor, the user system comprising:
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an electronic wallet;
an electronic coupon book for storing at least one electronic coupon;
coupon downloading tools for transferring the at least one electronic coupon to the electronic coupon book, each of the at least one electronic coupons comprising promotion terms;
vendor recognition tools for identifying a specific vendor and identifying at least one applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor;
coupon access tools for accessing the at least one applicable electronic coupon, account access information for at least one user account;
purchasing tools;
a smart card for consummating a purchase transaction with the at least one vendor;
communication tools for communicating with at least one vendor system; and
wherein the purchasing tools are adapted to allow a user to complete a purchase transaction using the account access information, at least some of the terms of the purchase transaction being modified by reference to the promotion terms of the applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A user system for enabling a user to purchase goods and services from at least one vendor, the user system comprising:
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coupon downloading tools for transferring at least one electronic coupon, each of the at least one electronic coupons comprising promotion terms;
vendor recognition tools for identifying a specific vendor and identifying at least one applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor;
purchasing tools;
an input device for receiving account access information from a user;
communication tools for communicating with at least one vendor system; and
wherein the purchasing tools are adapted to allow a user to complete a purchase transaction using the account access information, at least some of the terms of the purchase transaction being modified by reference to the promotion terms of the applicable electronic coupon associated with the specific vendor. - View Dependent Claims (32, 39)
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33. A method for allowing a user to utilize automated coupons from at least one participating vendor over a network, the method comprising:
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providing a user with an electronic wallet and a smart card;
providing a user with at least one automated coupon;
determining whether a user is accessing a participating vendor;
implementing notification tools to provide the user with notification of an applicable automated coupon in response to the user accessing a participating vendor; and
enabling the user to purchase goods or services using the electronic wallet and the at least one automated coupon, at least some of the terms of the purchase being modified by the automated coupon. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of transmitting coupons from a participating partner system to a system server.
- 42. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of implementing notification tools comprises invoking a display comprising a graphical depiction of a coupon.
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44. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of implementing notification tools comprises invoking a display comprising a passive indicator.
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45. A method for allowing a user to utilize automated coupons from at least one participating vendor over a network, the method comprising:
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providing a user with at least one automated coupon;
determining whether a user is accessing a participating vendor;
implementing notification tools to provide the user with notification of an applicable automated coupon in response to the user accessing a participating vendor;
receiving payment information from a user; and
enabling the user to purchase goods or services using the payment information and the at least one automated coupon, at least some of the terms of the purchase being modified by the automated coupon.
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Specification