VARIABLE VALUE COUPONS

• US 20120310719A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hammerstad, Diane R., Kaaz, Kimberly J.
• Application Number:
  US13/149,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

In one embodiment, a coupon is created. The coupon includes a delivery date and data associated with a variable value schema, the schema dependent upon an elapsed time between the delivery date and redemption of the coupon.

Claims

1. A method to create a variable value coupon, comprising the steps of:

creating a coupon, the coupon including;

a delivery date, and

data associated with a variable value schema, the schema dependent upon an elapsed time between the delivery date and redemption of the coupon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data in the creating step comprises the variable value schema.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data in the creating step comprises an address for electronic access to the schema.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the schema in the creating step comprises at least one of a formula or lookup table.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of variable value schemas for the coupon;

receiving coupon user information;

selecting, from the plurality of schemas, the first schema in consideration of the information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information in the receiving coupon user information and selecting steps comprises at least one of demographic information, transaction history information, or a location of a coupon user.

7. The method of claim 5,

further comprising the step of receiving market information or inventory information, and

wherein the selecting step is performed in consideration of the market information or the inventory information.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the information in the receiving coupon user information step and selecting steps is information relating to a printer.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the information in the receiving coupon user information and selecting steps is information obtained via a web-enabled printer.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the information in the receiving coupon user information and selecting steps is information obtained via a coupon user'"'"'s interaction with a web application.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the coupon.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending the coupon to a computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon comprises at least one of the delivery date, the schema, or the address, in an encoded format.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the encoded format in the creating step comprises at least one of a barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, or a digital watermark.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of responsive to receiving data indicative of an actual redemption date for the coupon, modifying the schema.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of responsive to receiving data indicative of an actual redemption date for the coupon, modifying the coupon user information.

17. A system to produce a variable value coupon, comprising:

a coupon creation module, configured to deliver a coupon, the coupon including

a delivery date, and

data associated with a variable value schema, the schema dependent upon an elapsed time between the delivery date and redemption of the coupon.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a selection module, configured to:

store a plurality of variable value schemes for the coupon;

receive information comprising at least one of coupon user information, market information, or inventory information;

select, from the plurality of schemas, the first schema in consideration of the information.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the coupon creation module is configured to at least one of print the coupon or send the coupon to a computing device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the coupon creation module is configured to deliver the coupon including at least one of the delivery date, an address for electronic access to the schema, or the schema in an encoded format.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a modification module, configured to, responsive to receiving data indicative of an actual redemption date for the coupon, modify the schema or the coupon user information.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the schema comprises at least one of a formula or a lookup table.

23. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for creation of a variable value coupon, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to:

store a set of variable value schemes for a coupon, the schemes dependent upon an elapsed time between the delivery date and redemption of the coupon;

receive coupon user information;

select, from the set, a first schema in consideration of the coupon user information;

create a coupon that includes a delivery date and the first schema;

modify the first schema responsive to receipt of data indicative of an actual redemption date for the coupon.