System and Method of Providing Discounts on the Purchase of Gasoline
First Claim
1. A method of providing a customer with a discount on the purchase of gasoline, said customer having customer identification information, the method comprising:
- storing accumulated discount information for said customer in a customer database in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated discount information being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases;
storing accumulated points information for said customer in said customer database in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated points information being a first number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases;
receiving said customer identification information in a retailer computer system in association with said customer performing at least one of one or more predefined actions;
receiving first information relating to said at least one of one or more predefined actions in said retailer computer system;
converting said first information into a point value in said retailer computer system, said point value being a second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases;
receiving said accumulated points information in said retailer computer system;
determining in said retailer computer system new accumulated points information based on said received accumulated points information and said point value, said new accumulated points information being a sum of said first number of points and said second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases;
in response to determining said new accumulated points information, determining updated accumulated discount information comprising an updated particular discount level for gasoline purchases by calculating said updated particular discount level using said new accumulated points information;
storing said updated accumulated discount information in said customer database in association with said customer identification information;
obtaining said customer identification information when said customer initiates the purchase of gasoline at a gasoline pump;
in response to obtaining said customer identification information, obtaining said updated accumulated discount information from said customer database using said customer identification information; and
providing said customer with a discount, if any, on said purchase of gasoline at said gasoline pump based on said updated accumulated discount information.
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Abstract
A method of a discount on the purchase of includes determining accumulated discount information each time: (i) a customer performs one of one or more predefined actions, (ii) customer identification information is received in association with the performed action, and (iii) first information relating to the performed action is received. The accumulated discount information is determined by converting the first information into a point value, and deriving the accumulated discount information from the point value. The accumulated discount information is stored in association with the customer identification information. The method further includes obtaining the customer identification information when the customer initiates the purchase of gasoline, obtaining the accumulated discount information using the customer identification information, and providing the customer with a discount on the purchase of gasoline based on the accumulated discount information.
51 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of providing a customer with a discount on the purchase of gasoline, said customer having customer identification information, the method comprising:
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storing accumulated discount information for said customer in a customer database in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated discount information being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases; storing accumulated points information for said customer in said customer database in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated points information being a first number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases; receiving said customer identification information in a retailer computer system in association with said customer performing at least one of one or more predefined actions; receiving first information relating to said at least one of one or more predefined actions in said retailer computer system; converting said first information into a point value in said retailer computer system, said point value being a second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases; receiving said accumulated points information in said retailer computer system; determining in said retailer computer system new accumulated points information based on said received accumulated points information and said point value, said new accumulated points information being a sum of said first number of points and said second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases; in response to determining said new accumulated points information, determining updated accumulated discount information comprising an updated particular discount level for gasoline purchases by calculating said updated particular discount level using said new accumulated points information; storing said updated accumulated discount information in said customer database in association with said customer identification information; obtaining said customer identification information when said customer initiates the purchase of gasoline at a gasoline pump; in response to obtaining said customer identification information, obtaining said updated accumulated discount information from said customer database using said customer identification information; and providing said customer with a discount, if any, on said purchase of gasoline at said gasoline pump based on said updated accumulated discount information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for providing a customer with a discount on the purchase of gasoline, said customer having customer identification information, comprising:
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a main server; a customer database in electronic communication with said main server, said customer database storing accumulated discount information for said customer in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated discount information being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases, and accumulated points information for said customer in association with said customer identification information, said accumulated points information being a first number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases; a retailer computing device in electronic communication with said main server, said retailer computing device;
(i) receiving said customer identification information in association with said customer performing at least one of one or more predefined actions, (ii) receiving first information relating to said at least one of one or more predefined actions, (iii) converting said first information into a point value, said point value being a second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases, (iv) receiving said accumulated points information from said customer database through said main server, and (v) determining new accumulated points information based on said received accumulated points information and said point value, said new accumulated points information being a sum of said first number of points and said second number of points and not being a particular discount level for gasoline purchases, said main server or said retailer computing device determining updated accumulated discount information comprising an updated particular discount level for gasoline purchases by calculating said updated particular discount level using said new accumulated points information, said updated accumulated discount information being stored in said customer database in association with said customer identification information;a gas station computing device located at a gas station location, said gas station computing device being in electronic communication with said main server, said gas station computing device being adapted to obtain said updated accumulated discount information from said customer database through said main server based on said customer identification information when said customer initiates the purchase of gasoline at said gas station location and provide said customer with a discount, if any, on said purchase of gasoline based on said updated accumulated discount information. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification