Point-of-sale server and method

• US 20060100931A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Midnight Blue Remote Access LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Deaton, David W., Gabriel, Rodney G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A method for use in marketing includes detecting, at the point-of-sale, a plurality of Uniform Product Codes associated with respective items purchased by a customer. The method also includes transmitting, on a substantially real-time basis, the plurality of Uniform Product Codes over the Internet to a remote computer connected to the Internet.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of an identifier associated with an item;

determining point-of-sale information based on the signal, wherein the point-of-sale information includes at least one of a price or a description associated with the item;

providing the point-of-sale information to a remote source on a substantially real-time basis; and

receiving an incentive from the remote source on a substantially real-time basis based on the point-of-sale information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier is associated with a product of a particular source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the incentive includes a reduced price of the item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying the reduced price on an electronic price tag located proximate the item.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the incentive includes a redeemable coupon associated with the item.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the incentive is further based on performance of the item in the marketplace.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a product of a second source, and wherein the incentive is associated with a product of the remote source.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the incentive includes a notification of a future discount associated with the product of the remote source.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the incentive includes an advertisement of the product of the remote source.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the incentive includes a coupon associated with the product of the remote source.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the item is a redeemable coupon corresponding to a product of a second source, and wherein the incentive is associated with a product of the remote source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the incentive includes a notification of a future discount associated with the product of the remote source.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the incentive includes an advertisement of the product of the remote source.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the incentive includes a coupon associated with the product of the remote source.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal receiving step includes receiving a signal indicative of a bar code associated with a redeemable coupon corresponding with a product of the remote source.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the point-of-sale information includes providing the point-of-sale information via the Internet.

18. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing an identification of a customer to the remote source on a substantially real-time basis,

wherein receiving the incentive from the remote source is further based on the identification of the customer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the incentive includes receiving the incentive based upon a purchasing history of the customer.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reading the identification of the customer from a smart card associated with the customer.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing the incentive on the smart card.