System and Method for Distribution, Redemption and Processing of Electronic Coupons

• US 20090144164A1
• Filed: 12/01/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contactless Data Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Contactless Data Incorporated
• Inventors: Ohme, Karsten, Wane, Ismaila
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0221 Re-usable coupons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

In a method of executing a transaction using an electronic coupon, coupon campaign information is provided to an engine. The coupon campaign information defines a discount value, a product family and a number of coupons to be distributed. Each coupon within the coupon campaign has a coupon identification (ID). Coupon publications are provided including a machine-readable portion that encodes coupon data describing the coupon campaign information. The coupon data is retrieved from the machine-readable portion of the coupon publication using a personal electronic device. The coupon data is used to retrieve a coupon ID that is stored in the personal electronic device. The coupon ID is transmitted to a point of sale (POS) system using the personal electronic device. The POS system communicates with the engine to verify a validity of the coupon ID. A discount is applied to a transaction in accordance with the discount value.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of executing a transaction using an electronic coupon, comprising:

providing coupon campaign information to an engine, the coupon campaign information defining a discount value, a product family and a number of coupons to be distributed, each coupon within the coupon campaign having a coupon identification (ID);

providing coupon publications including a machine-readable portion, the machine-readable portion encoding coupon data describing the coupon campaign information;

retrieving the coupon data from the machine-readable portion of the coupon publication using a personal electronic device;

using the coupon data to retrieve a coupon ID from the engine, the coupon ID being stored in the personal electronic device;

transmitting the coupon ID to a point of sale (POS) system using the personal electronic device, the POS system communicating with the engine to verify a validity of the coupon ID; and

applying a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the personal electronic device includes a cell phone and the cell phone operates a Java Card Applet for coupon management and a Java MIDlet for user interfacing.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the coupon ID is encrypted by the engine using an encryption key.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the encryption key is stored on a hardware security module (HSM) in communication with the engine.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value includes comparing the product family of the coupon campaign information to a product family of a product included in the transaction.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, including executing a financial exchange between a manufacturer of the product and a retailer executing the transaction to compensate the retailer for the value of the discount.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the coupon ID is represented using an Electronic Product Code (EPC) format including a 96-bit serial number.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the personal electronic device and the POS system communicate using a near-field communication (NFC) interface.

9. A method of executing a transaction using an electronic coupon, comprising:

providing coupon campaign information to an engine, the coupon campaign information defining a discount value, and a product family, each coupon within the coupon campaign having a coupon identification (ID);

communicating with the engine using a personal electronic device to execute a coupon search;

selecting a coupon from a list of search results generated by the coupon search to retrieve coupon data from the engine, the coupon data including a coupon ID and being stored in the personal electronic device;

transmitting the coupon data to a point of sale (POS) system using the personal electronic device; and

applying a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value, the transaction being for goods or services.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the personal electronic device includes a cell phone and the cell phone operates a Java Card Applet for coupon management and a Java MIDlet for user interfacing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein applying a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value includes comparing the product family of the coupon campaign information to a product family of a product included in the transaction.

12. The method of claim 11, including executing a financial exchange between a manufacturer of the product and a retailer executing the transaction to compensate the retailer for the value of the discount.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the coupon ID is represented using an Electronic Product Code (EPC) format including a 96-bit serial number.

14. The method of claim 9, including providing coupon publications including a machine-readable portion, the machine-readable portion encoding coupon data describing the coupon campaign information.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the personal electronic device and the POS system communicate using a near-field communication (NFC) interface.

16. A system for executing a transaction using an electronic coupon, comprising:

a personal electronic device for retrieving coupon data from a machine-readable portion of a coupon publication, the machine-readable portion of the coupon publication encoding coupon data describing coupon campaign information, the coupon campaign information defining a discount value, and a product family, each coupon within the coupon campaign having a coupon identification (ID); and

a point of sale (POS) system for retrieving the coupon data from the personal electronic device, the POS system being configured to communicate with an engine to verify a validity of the coupon data and to apply a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the personal electronic device includes a cell phone and the cell phone operates a Java Card Applet for coupon management and a Java MIDlet for user interfacing.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the POS system is configured to compare the product family of the coupon campaign information to a product family of a product included in the transaction.

19. The system of claim 18, including a clearing and settlement system in communication with the POS system for executing a financial exchange between a manufacturer of the product and a retailer executing the transaction to compensate the retailer for the value of the discount.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the coupon ID is represented using an Electronic Product Code (EPC) format including a 96-bit serial number.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable portion of the coupon publication includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the personal electronic device and the POS system communicate using a near-field communication (NFC) interface.

23. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having a computer readable program code embodied therein, comprising:

computer readable program code which retrieves coupon data from a machine-readable portion of a coupon publication, the machine-readable portion of the coupon publication encoding coupon data describing coupon campaign information, the coupon campaign information defining a discount value, and a product family, each coupon within the coupon campaign having a coupon identification (ID);

computer readable program code which communicates with an engine to verify a validity of the coupon data; and

computer readable program code which applies a discount to a transaction in accordance with the discount value.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, including computer readable program code which operates a Java Card Applet for coupon management and a Java MIDlet for user interfacing.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, including computer readable program code which compares the product family of the coupon campaign information to a product family of a product included in the transaction.