System for providing document services using a coupon with a coupon scanning device

• US 20040215510A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wilkie, Robert B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,123,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A system and method for providing access to and gaining access to document services using a printed coupon. The printed coupon contains one or more machine-readable symbols describing the document services to which a holder of the coupon is entitled. The document services include faxing, printing, copying, email, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document services.

Claims

11. A system for providing at least one document service to a user, comprising:

a. means for dispensing a coupon to the user, the coupon bearing at least one indicium that represents at least one document service that the user is entitled to;

b. means for scanning the coupon to decode the at least one indicium to determine the, at least one, document service; and

,

c. means for providing the, at least one, document service to the user.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising authenticating means to establish the coupon is not a counterfeit coupon.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising authenticating means to establish that all document services to which the user is entitled have not previously been used.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein means for scanning and decoding the at least one indicium and means for providing the at least one document service is performed using a multifunction devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein means for scanning and decoding the at least one indicium is performed using said multi-function device operatively communicating with a server.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein means for providing the at least one document service, is provided by said multi-function device operatively communicating with a server.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for delivering a digital representation of the coupon to the user, for dispensing by the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein delivering means comprises delivering via a network.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein delivering means comprises distribution via a wireless network.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one document service is selected from the group consisting of:

print, copy, facsimile, scan, electronic mail, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document processing.

21. A system for dispensing a coupon to a user, the coupon bearing at least one indicium that represents at least one document service that the user is entitled to, comprising:

a. means for encoding information that represents the at least one document service that the user is entitled to;

b. means for delivering the coupon to a marking device; and

,

c. means for marking the coupon.

1. A method of providing at least one document service to a user, comprising:

a. dispensing a coupon to the user, the coupon bearing at least one indicium that represents at least one document service that the user is entitled to;

b. scanning the coupon to decode the at least one indicium to determine the, at least one, document service; and

,

c. providing the, at least one, document service to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the coupon to establish that it is not a counterfeit coupon.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising authenticating the coupon to establish that all document services to which the user is entitled have not previously been provided.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the coupon, decoding the at least one indicium and providing the at least one document service is performed using a multifunction device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein scanning and decoding the at least one indicium is provided by said multi-function device operatively communicating with a server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the, at least one document service, is provided by said multi-function device operatively communicating with a server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a digital representation of the coupon to the user, for dispensing by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein delivering a digital representation of the coupon comprises distribution via a network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein delivering a digital representation of the coupon comprise distribution via a wireless network.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one document service is selected from the group consisting of:

print, copy, facsimile, scan, electronic mail, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document processing.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein means for encoding the information comprises forming a representation of a bar code.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the bar code is PDF417.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising encoding means for encoding account identifier information.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprises encoding means for encoding authentication information, said authentication information used to validate a coupon as not being counterfeit.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein encoding means further comprises encrypting means for, at least, a portion of the encoded information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein storage means comprises an electronic storage device.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein delivering means comprises delivering a digital representation of the coupon to the user.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein delivering means comprises delivering via a network.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein delivering means comprises distribution via a wireless network.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one document service is selected from the group consisting of:

print, copy, facsimile, scan, electronic mail, electronic file access scan to email, scan to file, and document processing.

26-1. The system of claim 21 further comprises means for storage of the encoded information.

32. A system for redeeming a coupon bearing at least one indicium that represents at least one document service that the user is entitled to, comprising:

a. means for scanning the coupon;

b. means to decode the indicium to determine the, at least one, document service; and

,

c. means for providing the, at least one, document service to the user.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising authenticating means to establish the coupon is not a counterfeit coupon.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising authenticating means to establish that the document services to which the user is entitled have not previously been provided.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising means to record document services used.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein scanning means is in operative communication with means for providing the at least one document service.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein scanning means is provided by a multifunction device.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein providing means, is provided by a multi-function device.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein scanning means is provided by a scanner in operative communication with a computer.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein providing means is provided by a server.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one document service is selected from the group consisting of:

print, copy, facsimile, scan, electronic mail, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document processing.