Coupon System and Method
First Claim
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1. A method for providing electronic coupons to customers in a retail store comprising:
- providing an electronic device on a shelf of the retail store near a selected product, where the device includes an identification indicator, where the device comprises an electronic circuit, a power supply, and an antennae for wireless transmission and/or reception of information to a broadcast zone, where the electronic circuit detects the presence of a customer tag in the vicinity and transmits its identification indicator to the electronic tag;
providing an electronic tag to customers to use while shopping in the retail store, where the tag comprises an electronic circuitry configured to transmit information and to receive and store information and an antennae for wireless transmission and/or reception of information, wherein the tag reads and stores shelf unit information when placed within the broadcast zone of the shelf unit; and
providing a point of sale checkout device, wherein the checkout device comprises electronic circuitry configured to read shelf unit identifiers stored on the tag and to associate coupon discount data associated with the shelf unit to a customer'"'"'s balance upon checkout.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for promotions of selected products in a retail grocery setting include providing electronic coupons for immediate use. Customers are provided an RFID tag that can communicate with RFID devices placed on the grocery shelves adjacent or near the selected products. Touching or approaching the shelf devices with a tag transfers the coupon information to the tag, and an RFID reader at the point of sale retrieves the coupon information and applies the discounts at checkout.
33 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for providing electronic coupons to customers in a retail store comprising:
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providing an electronic device on a shelf of the retail store near a selected product, where the device includes an identification indicator, where the device comprises an electronic circuit, a power supply, and an antennae for wireless transmission and/or reception of information to a broadcast zone, where the electronic circuit detects the presence of a customer tag in the vicinity and transmits its identification indicator to the electronic tag; providing an electronic tag to customers to use while shopping in the retail store, where the tag comprises an electronic circuitry configured to transmit information and to receive and store information and an antennae for wireless transmission and/or reception of information, wherein the tag reads and stores shelf unit information when placed within the broadcast zone of the shelf unit; and providing a point of sale checkout device, wherein the checkout device comprises electronic circuitry configured to read shelf unit identifiers stored on the tag and to associate coupon discount data associated with the shelf unit to a customer'"'"'s balance upon checkout. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for providing coupons to shoppers in a retail setting comprising:
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an RFID device configured to attach to a retail grocery shelf, the device comprising an electronic circuit that functions as an RFID reader/writer, a proximity sensor, a power supply and an associated device identifier; an electronic tag comprising an RFID chip and an electronic reader/writer; and a point of sale checkout device comprising an RFID reader/writer, a computer readable media with instructions embedded therein to read a shelf device identifier store on an RFID tag, to associate the shelf identifier with a discount coupon, to compare the coupon discount information to the list of items purchased;
to subtract the discount amount from the cost of the item; and
to provide a receipt that includes the coupon discount. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of promoting a sale of a selected product to customers in a retail grocery store comprising providing customers with an RFID tag for use while shopping and providing one or more electronic devices on grocery shelves near the selected products, wherein customers can receive coupons by placing the tag near the shelf device to transfer coupon discount information to the tag, and further wherein the coupon discount information is read by a device at the point of sale such that the coupon discounts are subtracted from the total cost for the selected products.
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18. A system for providing coupons to customers in a retail grocery setting, the system comprising:
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one or more electronic RFID devices configured to attach to a grocery shelf, wherein the electronic devices each comprise an identifier number, and electronic circuitry effective to transfer the identifier number to an RF receiver placed in a broadcast zone of the device; one or more RFID tags comprising electronic circuitry effective to receive and store information broadcast by the shelf unit device; and one or more point of sale devices, each comprising an RFID device unit effective to read shelf unit data from an RFID tag and to identify the shelf unit information with an associated coupon discount; and
to apply the discount to purchased items.
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19. A method of distributing coupons electronically in a retail grocery store comprising providing an RFID device on a grocery shelf that is configured to transfer information associated with a discount on a selected item to a customer tag, wherein the coupon can be redeemed immediately to receive a discount on the selected item.
Specification