Methods and systems for managing coupons

• US 20080183581A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bouygues Telecom (Bouygues SA)
• Original Assignee: Bouygues Telecom (Bouygues SA)
• Inventors: Devaux, Charles, Coppolani, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A method for managing at least one coupon for a user equipped with a mobile terminal including a collector, a communicator, and a memory which store a set of data relating to the coupon, including collecting by the collection means of the mobile terminal, data contained in a terminal and/or a station and/or a tag; transmitting the data by the mobile terminal to an interactive station; sending an enquiry based on the data by the interactive station to a local server associated with a database; and publishing, by the interactive station, information items corresponding to processing of a received response to the enquiry transmitted by the local server.

Claims

1. A method for managing at least one coupon for a user equipped with a mobile terminal comprising a collector, a communicator, and a memory which store a set of data relating to the coupon, comprising:

collecting with the collector of the mobile terminal, data contained in a terminal and/or a station and/or a tag;

transmitting the data by the mobile terminal to an interactive station;

sending an enquiry based on the data by the interactive station to a local server associated with a database; and

publishing, by the interactive station, information items corresponding to processing of a received response to the enquiry transmitted by the local server.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interrogating a central server by the local server based on the data contained in the enquiry to update the information items contained in the response received by the local server.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises selection of one of the information items via a display and input of the mobile terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating the data contained in the memory of the mobile terminal by the interactive station.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the publishing comprises generating at least one discount coupon in paper format by a printer.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interrogating, via an input and a display, the interactive station to obtain information items relating to the coupon.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein information items relate to the availability of the product associated with the discount coupon.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein information items relate to a physical location of the product.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein collecting corresponds to an exchange of data between mobile terminals, the exchanged data corresponding to at least one coupon.

10. A system that manages at least one coupon comprising:

1) a mobile terminal comprising a memory that stores data relating to the coupon;

2) an interactive station comprising;

i) a connection that transmits enquiries to a local server;

ii) publishing means that transmits to the user information items corresponding to processing of a received response to an enquiry transmitted by the local server; and

iii) a first communication means; and

3) a second communication means that exchanges data with the first communication means.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a display and an input that allows the user to select an information item relating to the coupon.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the second communication means are wireless or infrared.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the local server comprises a connector connected to a central server that updates the information items destined for the interactive station.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal comprises the second communication means for exchanging data relating to at least one coupon with another mobile terminal.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the interactive station is associated with a payment terminal for deducting discounts relating to at least one coupon from a total amount for purchases made by the user, the total amount being calculated by the payment terminal.