Intelligent coupon network

• US 20070276727A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Coupon Network LLC
• Inventors: Thibedeau, Richard B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A system for redeeming coupons comprises a network; a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicatively coupled to the network; a server communicatively coupled to the POS terminal; wherein the POS terminal transmits first coupon information from a coupon card read at the POS terminal to the server via the network.

Claims

1. A system for redeeming coupons, comprising:

a network;

a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicatively coupled to the network;

a server communicatively coupled to the POS terminal;

wherein the POS terminal transmits first coupon related information from a coupon card read at the POS terminal to the server via the network.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the server is a coupon processing server, further comprising a retailer'"'"'s server through which the POS terminal is communicatively coupled to the network and the coupon processing server.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein the coupon processing server is an Intelligent Coupon Network (ICN) server, further comprising a manufacturer'"'"'s server communicatively coupled to the ICN server.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein the first coupon related information of the coupon card is contained in a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition strip on the coupon card.

5. A system as in claim 3, wherein the coupon card is a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the first coupon related information is coupon card account identification information.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein the server transmits second coupon related information to the POS terminal via the network.

8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the second coupon related information is GS1 coupon code.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the second coupon related information includes an application identifier, a product number system character, manufacturer offer code, expiration date, and household identifier.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the server is coupled to a centralized database that provides second coupon related information when the server receives first coupon information.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein the server tabulates raw data of coupon processing transactions for a manufacturer.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the server provides the tabulated data to the manufacturer in the form of reports.

13. A system as in claim 1, wherein a card reader coupled to the POS terminal reads the coupon card.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein the network is the World Wide Web.

15. A system as in claim 1, wherein the network is an internet.

16. A system as in claim 1, wherein the coupon card is a one-time-use coupon card.

17. A system as in claim 3, wherein the coupon card is a radio frequency data communication (RFDC) card.

18. A system as in claim 1, wherein the card is distributed by a manufacturer of consumer package goods (CPG).

19. A system as in claim 13, wherein the card reader non-optically reads the coupon card.

20. A system as in claim 13, wherein the card reader optically reads the coupon card.

21. A system as in claim 20, wherein the coupon card comprises an optically scannable bar code that is optically read.

22. A system as in claim 8, wherein the POS terminal transmits third coupon related information to the server upon successful redemption of a coupon.

23. A system as in claim 22, wherein the third coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased and the GS1 coupon code of the second coupon related information and retailer identification information.

24. A system as in claim 23, the third coupon related information being used by the server to generate a report to the manufacturer whose product was purchased through redemption of the coupon code retrieved by the coupon card.

25. A method for processing coupons, comprising:

reading first coupon related information from a coupon card at a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal;

transmitting the first coupon related information through a network to a coupon processing server;

if the coupon processing server validates the first coupon related information, transmitting second coupon related information through the network to the POS terminal.

26. A method as in claim 25, further comprising if the POS terminal validates the second coupon related information, redeeming a coupon corresponding to the coupon card and transmitting coupon redemption information to the coupon processing server.

27. A method as in claim 26, further comprising when the coupon processing server receives the coupon redemption information, deactivating the coupon corresponding to the coupon card.

28. A method as in claim 27, further comprising the coupon processing server transmitting processed coupon information corresponding to the coupon redemption information to a manufacturer'"'"'s server.

29. A method as in claim 25, further comprising swiping the coupon card in proximity to a reader coupled to the POS terminal to effect reading of the first coupon related information from the coupon card.

30. A method as in claim 29, further comprising biometrically identifying a user of the coupon card as a part of validating.

31. A method as in claim 29, wherein the reading is a non-optical reading.

32. A method as in claim 29, wherein the reading is an optical reading.

33. A coupon card, comprising:

a substrate; and

a non-optically readable code provided on the substrate, wherein the coupon card includes information relating to at least one coupon retrievable over a network, the coupon card information being readable using non-optically readable technology, wherein the coupon card does not store coupon codes.

34. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the non-optically readable code is provided from the coupon card via radio frequency signals.

35. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the non-optically readable code is magnetically readable.

36. A coupon card as in claim 35, wherein the code is provided in a magnetic strip.

37. A coupon card as in claim 36, wherein the magnetic strip is readable by a magnetic swipe card reader.

38. A coupon card as in claim 34, wherein the coupon card is a radio frequency data communication (RFDC) card.

39. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the coupon card contains biometric identification information.

40. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the code is provided through a medium that is printed on the substrate.

41. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the code is provided through a medium that is adhered to the substrate.

42. A coupon card as in claim 39, wherein the medium is a label.

43. A coupon card as in claim 39, wherein the medium comprises a radio frequency communications circuit.

44. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the coupon card is detachably part of a sheet of advertisement literature.

45. A coupon card as in claim 44, wherein the coupon card comprises a plastic substrate.

46. A coupon card as in claim 44, wherein the coupon card comprises a paper substrate.

47. A coupon card as in claim 44, wherein the coupon card is detachable because on or proximate to at least one border of the coupon card are one or more perforations.

48. A coupon card as in claim 33, wherein the coupon card does not store coupon codes.

49. A computer readable medium storing computer code for processing coupons across a network in response to a non-optical reading of a coupon card, comprising:

computer code for reading identification code from a coupon card that is non-optically read at a Point of Sale terminal;

computer code for processing and formatting the read identification code;

computer code for transmitting the formatted identification code across the network;

computer code for receiving, interpreting, and validating the identification code at coupon processing server;

if the identification code is validated, computer code for retrieving coupon codes corresponding to the identification code from a centralized database;

computer code for transmitting the retrieved coupon codes to the Point of Sale terminal via the network; and

computer code for redeeming the coupon codes.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49, further comprising computer code for notifying the coupon processing server of successful coupon redemptions.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, further comprising computer code for identifying a user of the coupon card.

52. A coupon card, comprising:

a substrate; and

readable code provided on the substrate, wherein the coupon card includes a unique coupon card identification number that relates to at least one coupon code retrievable over a network, wherein the coupon card does not store coupon codes.