Systems for Implementing a Loyalty Program

• US 20090222340A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Kolls, H. Brock, Antao, Leonard F., Insolia, Gerard E., Phillips, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system for implementing a loyalty program includes a personal terminal, an interaction terminal, and a loyalty module. The personal terminal may be associated with a user. The interaction terminal may be associated with a product or service. The interaction terminal and the personal terminal may be operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other. The loyalty module may be operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication. The benefit may be provided without regard to whether the user obtained or purchased the product or service.

Claims

1. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal associated with a user;

an interaction terminal associated with a product or service, the interaction terminal and the personal terminal being operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other; and

a loyalty module operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication, the benefit being provided without regard to whether the user purchases the product or service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal terminal comprises an RFID reader and the interaction terminal comprises an RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal terminal is operable to communicate with the interaction terminal using infrared signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the product is a beverage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises at least one of the following:

a loyalty point, a monetary value, and a credit toward at least a portion of a product or a service.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal terminal and the interaction terminal are operable to communicate with each other when the personal terminal is within proximity of the interaction terminal.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a loyalty server, wherein:

the loyalty server comprises an account associated with the user; and

the loyalty module is further operable to store an indication of the benefit in the account of the user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the loyalty server further comprises a user interface, the user interface being operable to receive an instruction to redeem the benefit from the user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the personal terminal is operable to communicate with the loyalty server over a network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the loyalty module is further operable to vary the benefit based on a pre-defined criteria, the pre-defined criteria being at least one of the following:

time, location, product, brand, frequency, quantity, and price.

11. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal associated with a user;

an interaction terminal associated with a product device operable to provide a product or service, the interaction terminal and the personal terminal being operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other; and

a loyalty module operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication, the benefit being provided without regard to whether the product device facilitated access to the product or service.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the product device operable to provide the product or service comprises one of the following:

a vending machine, a product dispenser, a fountain machine, and a cooler.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the loyalty module is further operable to authorize a transaction at the product device.

14. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal associated with a user;

an interaction terminal associated with a transaction device operable to receive payment for a product or service, the interaction terminal and the personal terminal being operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other; and

a loyalty module operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication, the benefit being provided without regard to whether the transaction device received payment for the product or service.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the transaction device comprises one of the following:

a vending machine, cash register, a credit card machine, a debit card machine, a cash acceptance device, a cash transaction device, a cashless transaction device, an automatic teller machine, a point-of-sale terminal, a computer system, a website, and a property management system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the loyalty module is further operable to transmit a payment instruction to the transaction device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the payment instruction comprises at least one of the following:

a debit from an accrued loyalty reward balance, a debit from a pre-paid cash balance, a credit card number, and a debit card number.

18. A system for providing a benefit to a user, the system comprising:

a first interaction terminal mounted to a first device;

a second interaction terminal operationally integrated with a second device;

a personal terminal provided to the user, the personal terminal and the first interaction terminal establishing a first communication when in proximity of each other, and the personal terminal and the second interaction terminal establishing a second communication when in proximity of each other; and

a loyalty module operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the first communication or the second communication.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the loyalty module is further operable to transmit a payment instruction to the second device via the second interaction terminal.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a loyalty server, wherein:

the loyalty server comprises an account associated with the user; and

the loyalty module is further operable to store an indication of the benefit in the account of the user.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the loyalty server further comprises a user interface, the user interface being operable to receive an instruction to redeem the benefit from the user.