METHOD FOR GENERATING AN ELECTRONIC COUPON, COUPON HOLDING DEVICE, SYSTEM FOR GENERATING AN ELECTRONIC COUPON, ELECTRONIC COUPON AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20100114683A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: BUSCEMI, Meik, DAWIDOWSKY, Frank, RÖEHRLE, Klaus, WESSELS, Jurina, TIEDEMANN, Stephen, SCHILL, Dietmar
• Granted Patent: US 9,792,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.130
• 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 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user

Abstract

A method is provided for generating an electronic coupon comprising generating coupon identification data; generating coupon metadata; and generating the electronic coupon based on the coupon identification data and based on the coupon metadata. Further, a coupon holding device is provided including a coupon receiving unit configured to receive a first electronic coupon; a coupon metadata generation unit configured to generate coupon metadata for the first electronic coupon; and a coupon generation unit configured to generate a second electronic coupon based on the first electronic coupon and the coupon metadata.

Claims

1. Method for generating an electronic coupon, comprising:

generating coupon identification data;

generating coupon metadata;

generating the electronic coupon based on the coupon identification data and based on the coupon metadata.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the generating coupon metadata includes:

receiving an indication of a consumer'"'"'s action;

modifying a redemption value of the electronic coupon from a first redemption value to a second redemption value based on the indication; and

generating the coupon metadata based on the second redemption value.

3. Method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a first electronic coupon with a coupon holding device;

starting a software application on the coupon holding device based on coupon metadata of the first electronic coupon, wherein the software application generates an input mechanism into the coupon holding device for the receiving of the indication of the consumer'"'"'s action.

4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the consumer'"'"'s action includes at least one of

linking a personal consumer'"'"'s identification to the coupon identification data,

multiplying the electronic coupon within a social network of the consumer,

transferring the electronic coupon within the social network of the consumer,

redeeming the electronic coupon within a predetermined time period,

providing additional information about personal preferences or demographic data or acceptance to receive offers from partner companies.

5. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a first representation for the electronic coupon and transmitting the electronic coupon in the first representation to a redemption device.

6. Method according to claim 5, further comprising:

generating at least a second representation for the electronic coupon;

determining a receivable representation from the first or second representation that can be received from the redemption device;

transmitting the electronic coupon in the receivable representation.

7. Method according to claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting the electronic coupon in the first representation to the redemption device; and

transmitting the electronic coupon in the second representation to the redemption device if no acknowledgement of successful receipt is received after transmitting the electronic coupon in the first representation.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the generating coupon metadata includes:

receiving a distribution channel identification for distributing the electronic coupon;

generating the coupon metadata based on the distribution channel identification;

deriving the distribution channel identification after redemption of the electronic coupon.

9. Method according to claim 8, further comprising:

evaluating the effectiveness of the distribution channel based on the distribution channel identifications derived after redemption.

10. Method according to claim 1 to 9, further comprising:

evaluating the coupon metadata after redemption of the electronic coupon.

11. Coupon holding device, comprising:

a coupon receiving unit configured to receive a first electronic coupon;

a coupon metadata generation unit configured to generate coupon metadata for the first electronic coupon; and

a coupon generation unit configured to generate a second electronic coupon based on the first electronic coupon and the coupon metadata.

12. Coupon holding device according to claim 11, wherein the coupon metadata generation unit includes a redemption value modifying unit configured to receive an indication of a consumer'"'"'s action;

to modify a redemption value of the electronic coupon from a first redemption value to at least a second redemption value based on the indication; and

to generate the coupon metadata based on the second redemption value.

13. Coupon holding device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first electronic coupon;

wherein the coupon metadata generation unit is further configured to start a software application on the coupon holding device based on coupon metadata of the first electronic coupon, wherein the software application is configured to generate an input mechanism into the coupon holding device for receiving the indication of the consumer'"'"'s action.

14. Coupon holding device according to claim 11 further comprising:

a coupon representation unit configured to generate a first representation for the electronic coupon;

and a transmitter configured to transmit the electronic coupon in the first representation to a redemption device.

15. Coupon holding device according to claim 14, wherein the coupon representation unit is further configured to generate at least a second representation for the electronic coupon;

to determine a receivable representation from the first or second representation that can be received from the redemption device and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the electronic coupon in the receivable representation.

16. System for generating an electronic coupon comprising:

a first server configured to generate a first electronic coupon and to transmit the first electronic coupon;

a coupon holding device that is configured to receive the first electronic coupon and to transmit a second electronic coupon; and

a coupon metadata generation unit configured to generate metadata for the first electronic coupon.

17. System according to claim 16, wherein the coupon metadata generation unit is a part of the first server.

18. System according to claim 17, further comprising a second server, wherein the first server is configured to receive a distribution channel identification for distributing the electronic coupon and to generate the coupon metadata based on the distribution channel identification and wherein the second server is configured to derive the distribution channel identification after redemption of the electronic coupon.

19. System according to claim 18, wherein the second server is further configured to evaluate the effectiveness of the distribution channel based on the distribution channel identifications derived after redemption.

20. System according to claim 16, wherein the coupon metadata generation unit is a part of the coupon holding device.

21. System according to claim 20, wherein the first server comprises a further coupon metadata generation unit.

22. System according to claims 20 or 21, further comprising a second server, wherein the second server is configured to evaluate the coupon metadata after redemption of the electronic coupon.

23. Electronic coupon, comprising:

coupon identification data; and

coupon metadata.

25. Computer readable storage medium, comprising a computer program product according to claim 23.

24. A computer program product including computer program instructions that cause a computer to execute a method for generating an electronic coupon, comprising:

generating coupon identification data;

generating coupon metadata; and

generating an electronic coupon based on the coupon identification data and based on the coupon metadata.

26. Method for transmitting an electronic coupon, comprising

generating a first representation for the electronic coupon;

generating at least a second representation for the electronic coupon;

determining a receivable representation from the first or second representation that can be received from a redemption device;

transmitting the electronic coupon receivable representation to the redemption device.

27. Coupon holding device, comprising:

a coupon representation unit configured to generate a first representation for the electronic coupon and to generate at least a second representation for the electronic coupon;

a determination unit configured to determine a receivable representation from the first or second representation that can be received from a redemption device; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the electronic coupon in the receivable representation