Coupon service system

• US 20060085260A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nihon Unica Corp.
• Original Assignee: Nihon Unica Corp.
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US11/255,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085260A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date

Abstract

A coupon service system is capable of reducing time and expenses needed for market research, making a correct and sure marketing plan, and providing customers with services that match their respective needs. The coupon service system includes a store terminal provided with a reader. When a cellular phone is brought into a read area of the reader, the reader reads a coupon stored in the cellular phone and determines whether or not the coupon is valid. If the coupon is valid, the reader provides the user of the cellular phone with a service corresponding to the coupon and transmits data related to the user to a management server. The management server stores the data in a customer database.

Claims

1. A coupon service system comprising:

a communication terminal operated by a user;

a store terminal capable of sending a coupon issue instruction arranged in a store the user visits; and

a management server having a customer database to store data about the user, the management server transmitting, in response to the coupon issue instruction from the store terminal, a coupon usable in the store to the communication terminal through an electric communication circuit, wherein;

when the communication terminal is brought into a read area of the store terminal, the store terminal reads the coupon stored in the communication terminal and determines whether or not the coupon is valid;

if the coupon is valid, the store terminal provides the user of the communication terminal with a service corresponding to the coupon and transmits data about the user to the management server; and

the management server stores the transmitted data in the customer database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

based on the coupon issue instruction from the store terminal, the management server selects users to whom coupons are issued from among users recorded in the customer database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

based on the coupon issue instruction from the store terminal, the management server determines at least one of a period during which coupons are issued and an area where users to receive coupons reside.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

based on the coupon issue instruction from the store terminal, the management server determines at least one of a period during which coupons are issued and an area where users to receive coupons reside.