METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A COUPON OFFER HAVING A VARIABLE VALUE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
- generating a coupon having a variable benefit;
receiving an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon; and
issuing a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method by which a coupon having a variable benefit is provided includes generating a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of the coupon is transmitted from one recipient to another recipient, receiving an indication that a first recipient has performed a qualifying action, such as receiving, registering for and/or redeeming the coupon offer from a second recipient of the coupon, and changing a benefit of the coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received. A system includes a controller operable to compute a benefit of the coupon according to benefit variation conditions.
225 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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generating a coupon having a variable benefit;
receiving an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon; and
issuing a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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2. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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generating a coupon having a variable benefit;
receiving an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon; and
crediting a financial account associated with the second recipient an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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3. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to a first recipient;
receiving an indication after a second recipient registers a duplicate of said coupon; and
increasing a benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient after the indication is received.
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4. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to a first recipient;
receiving an indication after a second recipient redeems a duplicate of said coupon; and
increasing a benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient after the indication is received.
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5. A method for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to a first recipient;
receiving an indication after a second recipient completes a qualifying action; and
increasing a benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient after the indication is received. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon in accordance with at least one benefit variation condition.
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8. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon retained by a first recipient when an indication is received that a second recipient has registered a duplicate of said coupon received from the first recipient.
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9. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon retained by a first recipient when an indication is received that a second recipient has redeemed a duplicate of said coupon received from the first recipient.
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10. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon in accordance with benefit variation conditions.
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11. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon upon completion of a qualifying action by a recipient of said coupon.
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12. A method for changing a benefit for a coupon, comprising:
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establishing benefit variation conditions for a coupon;
receiving a request to redeem said coupon; and
updating said coupon'"'"'s benefit in accordance with the benefit variation conditions.
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13. A coupon, comprising:
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a portion of material having indicia representative of at least one qualifying action; and
a benefit associated with a coupon. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A coupon, comprising:
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a portion of material having indicia representative of a benefit associated with a coupon; and
a benefit variation condition associated with said coupon.
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16. A coupon, comprising:
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a portion of material having indicia representative of a benefit associated with a coupon; and
at least one qualifying action associated with said coupon.
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17. An electronic coupon, comprising:
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an electronic signal representative of an benefit associated with a coupon; and
a benefit variation condition associated with said coupon.
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18. An electronic coupon, comprising:
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an electronic signal representative of a benefit associated a coupon; and
at least one qualifying action associated with said coupon.
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19. A method for changing a benefit for a coupon, comprising:
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establishing an initial benefit for a coupon;
establishing a benefit variation condition for said coupon; and
updating said coupon'"'"'s benefit in accordance with the benefit variation condition. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for changing a coupon benefit, comprising:
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receiving a coupon having an associated benefit and at least one associated qualifying action;
performing the qualifying action; and
receiving an indication of a change in the benefit associated with said coupon.
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31. A method for changing a coupon benefit, comprising:
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receiving a coupon having an associated initial benefit and at least one associated qualifying action;
causing a completion of the qualifying action; and
receiving an indication of a change in the benefit associated with said coupon.
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32. A method for redeeming a coupon, comprising:
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receiving a variable benefit coupon for redemption;
requesting a determination of a benefit associated with the variable benefit coupon;
receiving an indication of the benefit associated with the variable benefit coupon; and
allowing the variable benefit coupon to be redeemed for the indicated benefit.
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33. A method for redeeming a coupon, comprising:
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receiving a request to redeem a variable benefit coupon;
requesting a determination of a benefit associated with the variable benefit coupon;
receiving an indication of the benefit associated with the variable benefit coupon; and
allowing the variable benefit coupon to be redeemed for the indicated benefit.
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34. A method for redeeming a coupon, comprising:
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receiving a request to redeem a variable benefit coupon;
providing a notice of a receipt of the request;
receiving an indication of the benefit associated with the variable benefit coupon; and
allowing the variable benefit coupon to be redeemed for the indicated benefit.
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35. A method of using a computer system for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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generating a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of said coupon is transmitted to a first recipient from a second recipient;
receiving an indication that at least one of the second recipient or the first recipient has completed a qualifying action; and
changing a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of using a computer system for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to an initial recipient;
receiving an indication after a new recipient receives a duplicate of said coupon issued to the initial recipient of the coupon; and
changing a benefit of said coupon retained by said initial recipient each time the indication is received. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of using a computer system for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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generating a coupon having a variable benefit;
receiving an indication that a first recipient has redeemed a duplicate of said coupon received from a second recipient of said coupon; and
changing a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received.
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53. A method of using a computer system for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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generating a coupon having a variable benefit;
changing a benefit of said coupon retained by a first recipient each time an indication is received that a new recipient has registered to receive a duplicate of said coupon issued to the first recipient; and
issuing said coupon to the new recipient.
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54. A method of using a computer system for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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(a) issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to a first recipient;
(b) receiving a first forward indication that the first recipient has forwarded a duplicate of the coupon to a new recipient;
(c) determining whether the new recipient has previously received said coupon;
(d) changing the benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient when the new recipient has not previously received said coupon;
(e) receiving a second forward indication that the new recipient has forwarded a duplicate of said coupon to a subsequent recipient;
(f) determining whether the subsequent recipient has previously received a duplicate of said coupon;
(g) changing the benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient when the subsequent recipient has not previously received said coupon; and
(h) changing a new benefit of said coupon retained by the new recipient when the subsequent recipient has not previously received said coupon. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An apparatus for providing a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
a server coupled to at least one output device for issuing a coupon having a variable benefit to a first recipient, wherein the server is operable to increase a benefit of said coupon retained by the first recipient when an indication is received that a second recipient has received a duplicate of the coupon from the first recipient.
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60. A coupon issuing system, comprising:
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a controller;
a storage device coupled to the controller; and
software operative to run on the controller to increase a benefit of a coupon retained by a first recipient when an indication is received that a second recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from the first recipient;
issuing a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of the coupon is transmitted from one recipient to another recipient;
receiving an indication that a first recipient has received the duplicate of the coupon from a second recipient of the coupon; and
changing the benefit of the coupon retained by the second recipient when the indication is received.
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61. A method of using a computer system for redeeming a coupon having a variable benefit, comprising:
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receiving a coupon identifier of a coupon;
receiving a recipient identifier corresponding to a recipient of the coupon;
determining a benefit of said coupon corresponding to the recipient identifier; and
processing a request to redeem said coupon using the benefit. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A system for changing a benefit associated with a coupon, comprising:
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a memory;
a communication port; and
a processor connected to the memory and the communication port, the processor being operative to;
generate a coupon having a variable benefit;
receive an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon that; and
issue a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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68. A computer readable medium for use in a coupon system, the computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:
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computer readable means for creating a coupon having a variable benefit;
computer readable means for receiving an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon that; and
computer readable means for providing a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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69. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer usable medium having a computer readable program means embodied therein for operating an information system, the computer readable program means in the article of manufacture operable to;
generate a coupon having a variable benefit;
receive an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon that; and
issue a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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70. An apparatus for changing a benefit associated with a coupon, comprising:
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means for creating a coupon having a variable benefit;
means for receiving an indication that a first recipient has received a duplicate of said coupon from a second recipient after the second recipient has redeemed said coupon that; and
means for providing a new coupon to the second recipient, the new coupon having a benefit corresponding to an incremental benefit the second recipient would have received had said coupon not been redeemed by the second recipient.
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71. A system for changing a benefit associated with a coupon, comprising:
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a memory;
a communication port; and
a processor connected to the memory and the communication port, the processor being operative to;
generate a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of said coupon is transmitted to a first recipient from a second recipient;
receive an indication that at least one of the second recipient or the first recipient has completed a qualifying action; and
change a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received.
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72. A computer readable medium for use in a coupon system, the computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:
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computer readable means for creating a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of said coupon is transmitted to a first recipient from a second recipient;
computer readable means for receiving an indication that at least one of the second recipient or the first recipient has completed a qualifying action; and
computer readable means for modifying a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received.
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73. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer usable medium having a computer readable program means embodied therein for operating an information system, the computer readable program means in the article of manufacture operable to;
generate a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of said coupon is transmitted to a first recipient from a second recipient;
receive an indication that at least one of the second recipient or the first recipient has completed a qualifying action; and
change a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received.
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74. An apparatus for changing a benefit associated with a coupon, comprising:
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means for creating a coupon having a variable benefit, wherein a duplicate of said coupon is transmitted to a first recipient from a second recipient;
means for receiving an indication that at least one of the second recipient or the first recipient has completed a qualifying action; and
means for modifying a benefit of said coupon retained by the second recipient after the indication is received.
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Specification