Universal club card and real-time coupon validation

• US 20040140361A1
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lobar Code Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lobar Code Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Paul, Charles Frederic, Chetty, Vijay R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for real-time validation and redemption of paper and electronic coupons; electronic coupon distribution; electronic clearing and reporting of paper and electronic coupon redemptions; and an “Universal Club Card” that combines coupon scanning, coupon redemption, coupon distribution, loyalty cards, club cards, gift cards, frequent shopper programs, store credits and many other retail store promotions into one efficient and convenient portable scanning device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

uploading a scanned barcode from a portable scanner; and

processing at least the scanned barcode electronically.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanned barcode is a coupon barcode scanned and digitally stored in the portable scanner.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the uploading of the scanned barcode comprises

establishing a communication path between the portable scanner and a Point of Sale (POS) system at a retail store;

and

transmitting the scanned barcode to the POS system for processing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to processing at least the scanned barcode, the method comprises retrieving coupon barcodes from a storage location on a server associated with a customer assigned the portable scanner, the coupon barcodes being electronic coupons that have been non-redeemed to date.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to processing at least the scanned barcode, the method comprises scanning coupon barcodes from paper coupons provided by a customer assigned the portable scanner.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the processing of the scanned barcode being a coupon barcode comprises comparing a manufacturer code from the coupon barcode with a product barcode read by the POS system, and if a match, analyzing each field of the coupon barcode, including a value code, an offer code, an expiration code, and any terms and conditions associated with the coupon barcode, to verify that a purchased product meets terms set by the coupon barcode.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the processing of the scanned barcode being a coupon barcode further comprises redeeming the scanned coupon by determining if a purchase of a product satisfies redemption rules and meets a plurality of terms of coupon definitions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the redeeming of the scanned coupon further comprises generating a detailed proof of purchase for every coupon redemption transaction, the proof of purchase comprises at least two of the following:

(i) a date stamp, (ii) a time stamp, (iii) a retail store location, (iv) a POS terminal location, (v) an original selling price of a product purchased and associated with the scanned coupon, (vi) a face value of the scanned coupon redeemed, (vii) additional discounts offered by a retailer'"'"'s POS system, (viii) a net price paid by a consumer, and (ix) an identity of the consumer who redeemed the scanned coupon.

9. Adapted to a portable scanner system supporting electronic coupon validation and redemption, a portable scanner comprising:

a communication port;

an optical converter;

a processing unit in communication with the optical converter and the communication port; and

an internal memory coupled to the processing unit, the internal memory comprises a plurality of data storage groupings including (1) a first data storage grouping being a list of coupons, inaccessible for redemption, that are currently available for a particular geographic region, and (2) a second data storage grouping being a list of coupons, accessible for redemption, that were scanned and matched with a coupon of the first data storage grouping.

10. The portable scanner of claim 9, wherein the internal memory further comprises a third data storage grouping including a list of coupons, accessible for redemption, that were scanned and unmatched with a coupon of the first data storage grouping.

11. The portable scanner of claim 10, wherein the internal memory further comprises a fourth data storage grouping being configured to store a manufacturer code for each manufacturer participating in the portable scanner system.

12. The portable scanner of claim 9 further comprising a display to illustrate coupon descriptive information being alphanumeric characters to identify at least one of the following:

a value of a coupon, expiration date of a coupon, a description of a discounted product, and a description of a manufacturer of the discounted product.

13. The portable scanner of claim 12 further comprising an interface to enable a customer to control operations of the scanner, the interface comprises (i) at least one scroll key that, when depressed, enables a customer to scroll and review alphanumeric characters on the display, and (ii) a scan key that, when depressed, activates the optical converter to scan a data object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the internal memory further contains a unique identification number to enable identification of scanner 210 and the customer.

15. A portable scanner system comprising:

an in-store server;

a Point-of-Sale (POS) system in communication with the in-store server;

a portable scanner that comprises internal memory to store a plurality of electronic coupons stored as coupon barcodes;

a Point-of-Sale (POS) system in communication with the portable scanner to receive downloaded electronic coupons from the portable scanner; and

in-store server in communication with the POS system, the in-store server to control validation and redemption of the electronic coupons.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the POS system includes a POS terminal and a docking station in communication with the POS terminal, the docking station adapted for coupling and communication with the portable scanner.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a kiosk in communication with the in-store server, the kiosk adapted for coupling and communication with the portable scanner.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a kiosk in communication with the in-store server, the kiosk comprises a scanner/barcode reader for scanning and collecting printed coupons deposited by a customer, coupon information read by the scanner/barcode reader is stored within a database in the in-store server.

19. A method comprising:

comparing a manufacturer code from a coupon barcode with a product barcode read by a Point-of-Sale (POS) system; and

if a match, analyzing each field of the coupon barcode, including a value code, an offer code, an expiration code, and any other terms and conditions associated with the coupon barcode, to verify that a purchased product and date of purchase satisfies each term set by the coupon barcode.