Electronic capture of promotions

• US 20060095324A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: XperEx Corp.
• Original Assignee: XperEx Corp.
• Inventors: Pon, Barry M., Vergeyle, David Lyn, McClanahan, David C.
• Application Number:
  US10/982,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095324A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

Promotional content is electronically displayed on section directories placed throughout a store. A consumer captures one of the displayed promotions by providing consumer identification or other input at a consumer interface device located in the section corresponding to the directory which displays the promotion. The consumer identification is then associated with the promotion. This association is then integrated with the store'"'"'s point-of-sale (POS) systems, such that when the consumer presents a product associated with the promotion for purchase at the POS, the POS applies the promotion (e.g. discount) to the sale. In one aspect, a section directory is placed within an aisle.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a directory for an section, the directory including an electronic display device to display content associated with a promotion; and

an interface device located within the section, the interface device capable of receiving input associated with a consumer identification, wherein the interface device is capable of associating the promotion with the consumer identification.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, the POS terminal to apply the promotion to a transaction, wherein the transaction satisfies conditions of the promotion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device is selected from the group consisting of a card reader, an optical scanner, a keypad, and a biometric device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interface devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the content associated with the promotion is selected from the group consisting of graphics, video, and text.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the directory includes a listing of items located in the section.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein an item associated with the promotion is located within the section.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the directory is suspended above the section.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the directory includes a plurality of electronic display devices to display content associated with a plurality of promotions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device is communicatively coupled to the directory.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the section is an aisle.

12. A method comprising:

displaying content on an electronic display device of a directory for a section, the content associated with a promotion;

receiving input associated with a consumer identification at an interface device located in the section; and

associating the promotion with the consumer identification.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the directory includes a listing of items available in the section.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the section is an aisle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the section is a department.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving input associated with the consumer identification at a point-of-sale (POS);

determining whether the promotion is associated with the consumer identification; and

determining whether a condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising applying the promotion to a sale at the POS if the condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the promotion includes a discount on a product available in the section.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the directory is located in the section.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the promotion is associated with the consumer identification while the content associated with the promotion is displayed on the electronic display device.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface device is selected from the group consisting of a card reader, an optical scanner, a keypad, and a biometric device.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the content associated with the promotion is selected from the group consisting of graphics, video, and text.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface device is communicatively coupled to the directory.

24. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying content on an electronic display device of a directory for a section, the content associated with a promotion;

receiving input associated with a consumer identification at an interface device located in the section; and

associating the promotion with the consumer identification.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the directory includes a listing of items available in the section.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the section is an aisle.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the section is a department.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving input associated with the consumer identification at a point-of-sale (POS);

determining whether the promotion is associated with the consumer identification; and

determining whether a condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises applying the promotion to a sale at the POS if the condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the promotion includes a discount on a product available in the section.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the directory is located in the section.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the promotion is associated with the consumer identification while the content associated with the promotion is displayed on the electronic display device.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the interface device is selected from the group consisting of a card reader, an optical scanner, a keypad, and a biometric device.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the content associated with the promotion is selected from the group consisting of graphics, video, and text.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the interface device is communicatively coupled to the directory.

36. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying content on an electronic display device of a directory for a section, the content associated with a promotion;

means for receiving input associated with a consumer identification at an interface device located in the section; and

means for associating the promotion with the consumer identification.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the directory includes a listing of items available in the section.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the section is an aisle.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the section is a department.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

means for receiving input associated with the consumer identification at a point-of-sale (POS);

means for determining whether the promotion is associated with the consumer identification; and

means for determining whether a condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising means for applying the promotion to a sale at the POS if the condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

42. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the promotion includes a discount on a product available in the section.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the directory is located in the section.

44. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the promotion is associated with the consumer identification while the content associated with the promotion is displayed on the electronic display device.

45. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interface device is selected from the group consisting of a card reader, an optical scanner, a keypad, and a biometric device.

46. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the content associated with the promotion is selected from the group consisting of graphics, video, and text.

47. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interface device is communicatively coupled to the directory.

48. A system comprising:

a processing unit coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a process executed from the memory by the processing unit to cause the processing unit to;

display content on an electronic display device of a directory for a section, the content associated with a promotion;

receive input associated with a consumer identification at an interface device located in the section; and

associate the promotion with the consumer identification.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the directory includes a listing of items available in the section.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the section is an aisle.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the section is a department.

52. The system of claim 48, wherein the process further causes the processing unit to:

receive input associated with the consumer identification at a point-of-sale (POS);

determine whether the promotion is associated with the consumer identification; and

determine whether a condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the process further causes the processing unit to apply the promotion to a sale at the POS if the condition of the promotion is satisfied at the POS.

54. The system of claim 48, wherein the promotion includes a discount on a product available in the section.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the directory is located in the section.

56. The system of claim 48, wherein the promotion is associated with the consumer identification while the content associated with the promotion is displayed on the electronic display device.

57. The system of claim 48, wherein the interface device is selected from the group consisting of a card reader, an optical scanner, a keypad, and a biometric device.

58. The system of claim 48, wherein the content associated with the promotion is selected from the group consisting of graphics, video, and text.

59. The system of claim 48, wherein the interface device is communicatively coupled to the directory.