COUPON COPY PROTECTION

• US 20110103653A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quotient Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quotient Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Weitzman, Jeffrey, Keswani, Ravi Kant, Muthugopalakrishnan, Manicka, Guan, Qingcai
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• 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 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification

Abstract

A data distribution system which includes business groups, a client system and a main database system is described. Coupons and coupon data may be exchanged between the business groups, the client system and the main database system. Each coupon being exchanged may include one or more fraud protection features that can neither be altered nor tampered by users, consumers or retailers.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a source image depicting a product that is the subject of a product coupon;

segmenting the source image into one or more image regions;

evaluating an image characteristic associated with each image region;

identifying one or more regions whose image characteristic meets a predetermined image criterion; and

combining the identified regions to create a composite image;

wherein both the composite image and the source image are applied to the product coupon;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1,

where segmenting the source image into one or more image regions includes segmenting the source image into one or more image regions each having an identical dimension.

3. The method of claim 1,

where segmenting the source image into one or more image regions includes segmenting the source image into one or more image regions each region having a same shape.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein identifying one or more regions that meets a predetermined image characteristic includes determining one or more regions having a similar image characteristic;

and

wherein combining the identified regions to create a composite image includes grouping the determined regions to create the composite image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

blending the composite image over a predetermined portion of a corresponding product coupon.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

applying a visual effect on the composite image, wherein blending the composite image includes overlaying composite image applied with the visual effect over the predetermined portion.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein evaluating an image characteristic includes determining a global histogram associated with the source image;

and

wherein identifying one or more regions includes identifying one or more regions based on the global histogram.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein evaluating an image characteristic includes assigning one or more weight values to each image region;

and

wherein identifying one or more regions includes identifying one or more regions based on the weight values assigned to each image region.

9. The method of claim 8, where combining the identified regions to create a composite image includes:

identifying one or more regions adjacent to the identified regions and having one or more similar characteristics; and

combining the identified regions and the adjacent regions to create a composite image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite image is applied to the product coupon as a holographic image.