System for Issuing Short Life Coupons or Other Promotional Devices

• US 20080221999A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ranaldin NV LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ranaldin NV LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Spector, Donald
• Application Number:
  US12/114,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• 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 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

An improved short life coupon system which allows a television viewer to select discount or promotional coupons while viewing a television commercial. Coupon information relating to the commercial is sent to a central station which also contains up-to-date point-of-sale information. This information is analyzed by the central station so that the coupon can be specifically designed to satisfy the viewer and maximize sales.

Claims

1. A Personal Video Recorder (PVR), DVR or device such as a computer that includes such a device for encouraging a viewer to watch a stored commercial advertisement, comprising:

the stored commercial advertisement enabled for requesting a coupon for discount for a product or a service, the coupon in response to the request being delivered to the viewer and the coupon being uniquely tied to the commercial advertisement; and

a remote control or action connected to the device, enabling the viewer to make a request for the coupon.

2. The PVR, DVR or device of claim 1, wherein the remote control is enabled to make the request at a predetermined moment in the commercial advertisement.

3. The PVR, DVR or device of claim 2, wherein the predetermined moment is at an end of the commercial advertisement.

4. The PVR, DVR or device of claim 1, wherein the discount is larger than usual discounts.

5. The PVR, DVR or device of claim 1, wherein the discount is provided for purchasing one or more of the product or service available at a retailer in an area or for a perishable good or service.

6. A method for receiving a coupon by a viewer by requesting the coupon for a discount for a product or a service in a television presentation, comprising:

making a request by the viewer for the coupon and sending the request over a network to a coupon generator;

receiving a request by the coupon generator, a received request including information related to the viewer and the product, the coupon generator having access to recent point-of-sale information about the product;

automatically analyzing by the coupon generator of relevant information related to the received request;

generating of the coupon by the coupon generator, the coupon being optimized for providing maximum yield in selling products or services; and

sending the coupon as an electronic message to the viewer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the received request reaches the coupon generator from a Broadcast Relay Station.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the connection is a communications highway.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein making of the request is performed by pushing a button on a remote control.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupon can only be requested at the ending of the television presentation.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the relevant information includes one or more of the location of the viewer or information about weather conditions.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupon is valid for one or more of a limited period of time, at a specific retailer or for a perishable good.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupon is adjusted to a redemption rate.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the content of the coupon comprises a trivia question.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the coupon by the viewer on a personal electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the personal electronic device is a cell phone.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupon is applied to an online purchase.

18. A personal electronic device for receiving a discount coupon for a product in electronic form, comprising:

means for receiving and storing the discount coupon, the discount coupon being requested from a coupon generator in a coupon request by a viewer of a television presentation, the request reaching the coupon generator as a message through a network, a request reaching the coupon generator including information about the product and the viewer; and

means for using the coupon at a retailer.

19. The personal electronic device of claim 18, wherein the means for using the coupon at a retailer is a screen of the device.

20. The personal electronic device of claim 18, wherein the personal electronic device is a cell phone.

21. The personal electronic device of claim 18, wherein the coupon is requested by the viewer by pushing a button on a remote control.

22. The personal electronic device of claim 18, wherein the request is transmitted over a communications highway.

23. A personal electronic device comprising a coupon generator for processing of a request for a coupon for discount for a product or a service by a viewer of a television presentation, comprising:

means for receiving a coupon request over a network, the coupon request including information relating to the product or the service for which the coupon is intended and information relating to the viewer, the request being transmitted over a network;

a databank having information relating to the product or the service;

software to analyze relevant information relating to the product or the service and the viewer;

software to generate a coupon that maximizes sales of the product or the service; and

means to send the coupon in electronic form to the viewer.

24. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the network is a communications highway.

25. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon request reaches the coupon generator from a Broadcaster Data Relay Station.

26. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the requesting of the coupon is performed by pushing a button on a remote control by the viewer.

27. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon can only be requested at the ending of the television presentation.

28. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the relevant information includes one or more of information regarding the location of the viewer or information about weather conditions.

29. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon is valid for one or more of a limited period, at a specific provider of goods or services or for a perishable good or service.

30. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon is adjusted to a redemption rate.

31. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon comprises a trivia question.

32. The personal electronic device of claim 23, further comprising receiving the coupon by the viewer on a personal electronic device.

33. The personal electronic device of claim 32, wherein the personal electronic device is a cell phone.

34. The personal electronic device of claim 23, wherein the coupon is applied to an online purchase.

35. A system for displaying commercials to a user having a profile, the system comprising:

a database of commercials;

a PVR, DVR or computer hard drive connected to or part of a television;

a network connecting the database of commercials to the user'"'"'s PVR, DVR or computer hard drive; and

a system for selecting at least one commercial from the database that fits the profile of the user, the system being able to transmit the commercial over the network to the PVR, DVR or computer hard drive of the user.