ARTICLE VENDING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR RECEIVING RESTRICTED DISCOUNT CODES
First Claim
1. A method for providing a discount for a consumer transaction at an article dispensing machine located in a store that has an affiliation with an entity, the article dispensing machine having a user interface connected to a processor and configured to communicate with a central processor, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a consumer-entered coupon code via the user interface;
in response to the receipt of the consumer-entered coupon code, automatically comparing the consumer-entered coupon code to a first list of valid coupon codes;
comparing transaction data associated with the consumer transaction to a first restriction associated with the consumer-entered coupon code, wherein the first restriction is based on the affiliation of the store in which the article dispensing machine is located; and
providing the discount to the consumer transaction if the consumer-entered coupon code matches one of the valid coupon codes on the first list of valid coupon codes and if the transaction data satisfies the first restriction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network of DVD dispensing machines and method for accepting user-inputted coupon codes that are only accepted when certain restrictions are satisfied. In one aspect of the present invention, certain coupon codes are only accepted by kiosks located in certain geographic areas. In another aspect of the present invention, certain coupon codes are only accepted if the customer is a new customer opening a new account. In another aspect of the present invention, certain coupon codes are only accepted once per user account. In yet another aspect of the present invention, certain coupon codes are only accepted if the coupon codes are used at kiosks housed in certain vending partners or in stores affiliated with a certain entity.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for providing a discount for a consumer transaction at an article dispensing machine located in a store that has an affiliation with an entity, the article dispensing machine having a user interface connected to a processor and configured to communicate with a central processor, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a consumer-entered coupon code via the user interface; in response to the receipt of the consumer-entered coupon code, automatically comparing the consumer-entered coupon code to a first list of valid coupon codes; comparing transaction data associated with the consumer transaction to a first restriction associated with the consumer-entered coupon code, wherein the first restriction is based on the affiliation of the store in which the article dispensing machine is located; and providing the discount to the consumer transaction if the consumer-entered coupon code matches one of the valid coupon codes on the first list of valid coupon codes and if the transaction data satisfies the first restriction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for checking the validity of a user-entered code for a discount for a transaction conducted at an article dispensing machine, the article dispensing machine having a user input and being connected to a central processor via a network, the central processor being connected to a central memory having a master list of valid codes and restrictions associated with those codes stored thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the user-entered code via the user input; determining if the article dispensing machine is able to establish data communication with the central processor; if the article dispensing machine is able to establish data communication with the central processor, transmitting the user-entered code and transaction data to the central processor via the network, and the central processor comparing the user-entered code to the master list of valid codes and comparing the transaction data against the restrictions associated with the user-entered code; and if the article dispensing machine is not able to communicate with the central processor, performing an offline code validation process. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network of article dispensing machines comprising:
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an article dispensing machine comprising; a user interface configured to receive a user-entered coupon code; a dispensing machine processor in communication with the user interface; and a dispensing machine memory in communication with the dispensing machine processor and containing at least one parameter associated with the article dispensing machine; and a central memory remote from the article dispensing machine and containing a master list of valid codes comprising a plurality of valid codes, at least one of the valid codes having a first restriction associated therewith and stored in the central memory; and a central processor in communication with the article dispensing machine and the central memory, for comparing the user-entered code with the master list of valid codes and for comparing the at least one parameter associated with the first dispensing machine to the first restriction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A network of article dispensing machines comprising:
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an article dispensing machine associated with an article dispensing machine identifier, the article dispensing machine comprising; a user interface configured to receive a user-entered coupon code; a dispensing machine processor in communication with the user interface; and a dispensing machine memory in communication with the dispensing machine processor; and a central memory remote from the article dispensing machine and containing a master list of valid codes comprising a plurality of valid codes, at least one of the valid codes having a first restriction associated therewith and stored in the central memory, the central memory further containing the article dispensing machine identifier and at least one parameter linked to the article dispensing machine identifier; and a central processor in communication with the article dispensing machine and the central memory, for comparing the user-entered code with the master list of valid codes and for comparing the at least one parameter linked to the article dispensing machine identifier to the first restriction. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 27)
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26. A network of article dispensing machines comprising:
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an article dispensing machine comprising; a user interface configured to receive a user-entered coupon code and an identity of an account number from a credit or debit card; and a dispensing machine processor in communication with the user interface; a central memory remote from the first article dispensing machine and containing a master list of valid codes comprising a plurality of valid codes wherein at least one of the valid codes has a first restriction limiting the code to new-user transactions, the central memory having the first restriction and a database of identities of account numbers of credit or debit cards previously used for transactions within the network stored thereon; and a central processor in communication with the first article dispensing machine and the central memory, wherein the central processor compares the user-entered code with the master list of valid codes and compares the received identity of the account number to the database of identities of account numbers previously used for transactions within the network.
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28. A computer system for validating a coupon code, the computer system comprising:
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means for receiving data from an article dispensing machine affiliated with an entity and in communication with the computer system, the data comprising a coupon code and transaction data, wherein at least a portion of the transaction data comprises an identity of the entity; a database having a master list of valid codes comprising a plurality of valid coupon codes, at least one of the valid coupon codes having a first restriction associated therewith, the first restriction comprises an identity of an entity; a computer readable program code device configured to cause the computer system to compare the received coupon code to the master list of valid coupon codes and to compare the transaction data to the first restriction, thereby determining the validity of the code; and means for sending a signal indicating whether the received code is valid in response to the data received from an article vending machine. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification