System and Method for Generating Price-Per-Unit (PPU) Discounts for Fuel

• US 20100088176A1
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excentus Corporation (Professional Datasolutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Excentus Corporation (Professional Datasolutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mains, Karla J., Jacoves, Peter G., Hall, William Y., Naul, Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US12/632,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088176A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.380
• 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 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

A fuel rewards program wherein awards received from the purchase of discount-triggering items at a first transaction are redeemed for a price-per-unit (PPU) discount on fuel. A scanner scans product codes and inputs the information to a POS system through a comparator such that a product may be determined to be a discount-triggering item. Information regarding the discount-triggering item is first stored in a potential buffer. A rewards process processes the information in the potential buffer and stores that information in a filtered potential buffer. A potential file accumulates basic information about one or more transactions. A purchase buffer stores all of the information, which is ultimately printed on a cash register receipt. The receipt may be scanned at a fuel dispenser to begin the redemption of the PPU discount on the fuel.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a discount-per-gallon for fuel in exchange for the purchase of one or more discount-triggering items during an initial purchase transaction by a customer, said method comprising:

discriminating the discount-triggering items from non-discount-triggering items in a purchase of multiple items during the initial purchase transaction, each of the discount-triggering items having a unique code associated therewith and an associated discount-per-gallon;

grouping the discount-triggering items in bundles, each bundle comprised of all of the discount-triggering items having the same unique code such that there is provided a bundle for each of the unique codes present in the initial purchase transaction, and wherein each bundle has an associated total bundle discount-per-gallon;

summing the total bundle discounts-per-gallon for all of the bundles to provide a total discount-per-gallon associated with the initial purchase transaction; and

applying the total discount-per-gallon in a subsequent purchase transaction for fuel by the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of grouping includes filtering the discount-triggering items such that if the quantity of discount-triggering items purchased is less than a predefined minimum quantity for each of the unique codes, the bundle is not created.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of grouping includes filtering the discount-triggering items such that the number of discount-triggering items in any of the bundles is limited to a maximum number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of summing the total bundle discounts-per-gallon includes limiting the total discount-per-gallon to a maximum value.

5. A computerized system for generating a discount-per-gallon for fuel in exchange for the purchase of one or more discount-triggering items during an initial purchase transaction by a customer, said system comprising:

means for discriminating the discount-triggering items from non-discount-triggering items in a purchase of multiple items during the initial purchase transaction, each of the discount-triggering items having a unique code associated therewith and an associated discount-per-gallon;

means for grouping the discount-triggering items in bundles, each bundle comprised of all of the discount-triggering items having the same unique code such that there is provided a bundle for each of the unique codes present in the initial purchase transaction, and wherein each bundle has an associated total bundle discount-per-gallon;

means for summing the total bundle discounts-per-gallon for all of the bundles to provide a total discount-per-gallon associated with the initial purchase transaction; and

means for applying the total discount-per-gallon in a subsequent purchase transaction for fuel by the customer.

6. A computer-implemented method of generating a discount-per-gallon for fuel in exchange for the purchase of one or more discount-triggering items during an initial purchase transaction by a customer, said method comprising:

identifying the discount-triggering items in the initial purchase transaction, each of the discount-triggering items having a unique code associated therewith and an associated discount-per-gallon;

grouping the discount-triggering items in bundles, each bundle comprising one or more discount-triggering items having the same unique code, each bundle having an associated total bundle discount-per-gallon; and

generating a total discount-per-gallon for the fuel based on the total bundle discounts-per-gallon, the total discount-per-gallon representing a credit available for use in a subsequent purchase transaction for fuel by the customer.

7. A computer-implemented method of providing a discount-per-gallon for fuel to a customer who purchases a threshold amount of goods or services, said method comprising:

awarding a discount-per-gallon for the fuel to the customer in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services;

storing the discount-per-gallon in a discount database;

receiving by a fueling station controller, an indication that the customer has initiated a subsequent purchase of fuel, said indication including an identifier associated with the discount stored in the discount database;

retrieving by the fueling station controller, the discount-per-gallon from the discount database;

dispensing a number of units of fuel to the customer at a posted price-per-gallon to determine a preliminary cost of the fuel;

calculating a financial discount by multiplying the discount-per-gallon by the number of units of fuel dispensed; and

reducing the preliminary cost by the calculated financial discount to determine a final cost of the fuel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of awarding a discount-per-gallon for the fuel to the customer in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services includes awarding the discount-per-gallon in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services in a single shopping trip.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of awarding a discount-per-gallon for the fuel to the customer in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services includes the steps of:

calculating a cumulative total of purchases by the customer over a period of time; and

awarding the discount-per-gallon when the cumulative total of purchases is at least the threshold amount of goods or services.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of calculating a cumulative total of purchases includes calculating a cumulative total of purchases by the customer at a plurality of merchants different from the fueling station, each of said merchants and said fueling station having a cross-marketing agreement for the discounted sale of fuel in exchange for the customer purchasing goods or services from the merchant.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of awarding a discount-per-gallon for the fuel to the customer in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services includes awarding the discount-per-gallon in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services of a specified type.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps of awarding and storing the discount-per-gallon are performed by a processor associated with a point-of-sale (POS) system at the fueling station.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps of awarding and storing the discount-per-gallon are performed by a processor associated with a point-of-sale (POS) system at a merchant different from the fueling station, said merchant and said fueling station having a cross-marketing agreement for the discounted sale of fuel in exchange for the customer purchasing at least the threshold amount of goods and services from the merchant.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of awarding a discount-per-gallon for the fuel to the customer in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services includes awarding the discount-per-gallon in response to a purchase by the customer of at least the threshold amount of goods or services from a specified department of the merchant.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the total discount-per-gallon in a subsequent purchase transaction for fuel by the customer includes:

dispensing a number of units of fuel to the customer at a posted price-per-gallon to determine a preliminary cost of the fuel;

calculating a financial discount by multiplying the total discount-per-gallon times the number of units of fuel dispensed; and

reducing the preliminary cost by the calculated financial discount to determine a final cost of the fuel.

16-1. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of calculating a financial discount includes limiting the number of units of fuel to which the total discount-per-gallon is applied so that a maximum allowed financial discount is not exceeded.

17. A computer-implemented method of generating a discount for fuel in exchange for the purchase of one or more discount-triggering items by a customer, the method comprising:

associating a financial discount with each of the discount-triggering items purchased by the customer;

summing the financial discounts associated with each of the discount-triggering items purchased by the customer to determine a total financial discount;

associating the total financial discount with an identifier;

storing the total financial discount and the identifier in a database; and

in a subsequent purchase of fuel by the customer;

retrieving the total financial discount from the database utilizing the identifier;

calculating a preliminary cost of the fuel by multiplying a number of units of fuel purchased times a posted price-per-gallon;

calculating a final cost of the fuel by subtracting the total financial discount from the preliminary cost of the fuel;

calculating a discount-per-gallon by dividing the total financial discount by the number of units of fuel purchased; and

informing the customer of the final cost of the fuel and the calculated discount-per-gallon achieved as a result of the customer'"'"'s purchase of the discount-triggering items.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising informing the customer of the total financial discount.