System and method for purchasing and selling document services using a coupon

• US 20040211832A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wilkie, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/425,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211832A1
• 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 for buying and/or selling document services using a printed coupon. The printed coupon contains one or more machine-readable symbols describing the document services that a user may gain access to. The document services include faxing, printing, copying, email, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document services.

Claims

1. A method of selling (110) document services (440 comprising:

a. selling and dispensing (510, 520 530 at least one coupon (300) that is marked (530) with at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents at least one document service (440) that a coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive; and

,

b. based on the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312, providing (610, 620, 630, 640) the at least one document service (440) to the coupon bearer (3);

wherein the at least one coupon (300) is dispensed (232) by a coupon dispensing printer (230), the at least one document service (440) is provided by document services device (430), and the document services device (430) is separate and distinct from the coupon dispensing printer (230).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium comprises a bar code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bar code is PDF417.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the at least one document service further comprises scanning the at least one coupon and decoding the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium, thus forming decoded symbol or indicium information, and transmitting (402) the decoded symbol or indicium information to the document services device (430).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the scanning is performed by a multifunction device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a multifunction device provides the at least one document service.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning and recording an account identifier to a group comprising at least one coupon bearer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing coupon identification information, such coupon identification information being unique to each coupon sold.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising tracking and reporting the document services that are provided to coupon bearers associated with an account identifier.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one document service comprises processing and manipulation of documents, including any of printing, copying, faxing, electronic mail, electronic file access, document scanning and document processing.

41. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing coupon identification information, such coupon identification information being unique to each coupon sold.

42. The method of claim 10, further comprising tracking and reporting the document services that are provided to coupon bearers associated with an account identifier.

43. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) further represents at least one document service feature of the at least one document service (440) that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the at least one document service feature comprises any of the maximum number of images;

the maximum paper size;

the maximum size of any digital image that is used;

the minimum paper size;

the minimum size of any digital image that is used;

the time period during which the user may use the permitted document services;

stapling options;

folding options;

through-hole options;

booklet making;

cover pages;

digital watermarks;

the maximum number of images that can be printed on a single page of any print capable document service;

simplex and duplex. options;

page insertion options;

the selection of color stock for printing;

the selection of a one-line header to be printed on the top of each page that is printed by any print capable document service; and

the selection of a one-line header that is to be printed on each page associated with any print capable document service.

11-40. -40 (Cancelled).

45. In a system (100) for providing document services, the system comprising a coupon dispensing apparatus (200) for providing a coupon (300) to a human requester (1) and a coupon redeeming apparatus (400) for receiving the coupon from a human coupon bearer (3) and for providing document services based on the coupon,

the coupon dispensing apparatus (200) arranged for, in response to receiving (510) a request for one or more document services from the requester (1), printing (230) and dispensing (232) the coupon, the resulting coupon (300) being printed or marked (530) with at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312, 520) which represents the requested document services that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive,

the coupon redeeming apparatus (400) arranged for, in response to receiving the coupon (300) from the coupon bearer (3), scanning (410, 610) the coupon and decoding (620) the encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium to determine (630) the requested document services that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive, and providing (640) the requested document services (440) to the coupon bearer (3) by means of one or more included document services devices (430),

a method of selling document services, comprising:

determining (510) the requested document services from the requester (1);

selling and dispensing (520, 530) the coupon (300) that is marked (530) with at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents the requested document services (440); and

based on the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 31 1, 312), providing (610, 620, 630, 640), by the one or more document services devices (430), the requested document services (440) to the coupon bearer (3);

wherein the document services comprise processing and manipulation of documents, including any of printing, copying, faxing, electronic mail, electronic file access, document scanning and document processing; and

wherein the one or more document services devices (430) are separate and distinct from the coupon dispensing apparatus (200).

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) further represents at least one document service feature of the requested document services (440) that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive, wherein the at least one document service feature comprises any of the maximum number of images;

the maximum paper size;

the maximum size of any digital image that is used;

the minimum paper size;

the minimum size of any digital image that is used;

the time period during which the user may use the permitted document services;

stapling options;

folding options;

through-hole options;

booklet making;

cover pages;

digital watermarks;

the maximum number of images that can be printed on a single page of any print capable document service;

simplex and duplex options;

page insertion options;

the selection of color stock for printing;

the selection of a one-line header to be printed on the top of each page that is printed by any print capable document service; and

the selection of a one-line header that is to be printed on each page associated with any print capable document service.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the providing (640) the requested document services further comprises scanning (410, 610) the coupon (300) and decoding (620, 630) the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium, thus forming decoded symbol or indicium information, and transmitting (402) the decoded symbol or indicium information to the one or more document services devices (430).

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium comprises a bar code.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the bar code is PDF417.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one encoded machine-readable symbol or indicium comprises a dataglyph.