INCENTIVE NETWORK FOR DISTRIBUTING INCENTIVES ON A NETWORK-WIDE BASIS AND FOR PERMITTING USER ACCESS TO INDIVIDUAL INCENTIVES FROM A PLURALITY OF NETWORK SERVERS

• US 20130006763A1
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: AMJADI, Kamran
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing incentives on a network-wide basis and for permitting user access to individual incentives from any network server are provided. A method performed by a server for accessing incentives may include receiving an access request from a device associated with a user and connected to a network, transmitting identifying information corresponding to the access request to a host, receiving incentive information from the host reflecting available incentives corresponding to the identifying information, and transmitting a network document, including the incentive information, to the device associated with the user in response to the access request.

Claims

1. A method performed by a server for accessing incentives in a network, comprising:

receiving an access request from a device associated with a user and connected to the network;

transmitting identifying information corresponding to the access request to a host;

receiving incentive information from the host reflecting available incentives corresponding to the identifying information; and

transmitting a network document, including the incentive information, to the device associated with the user in response to the access request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an access request from a device associated with a user, includes:

receiving a request for a document stored at least in part on the server,

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting identifying information corresponding to the access request to a host, includes:

determining whether an indication exists that the user subscribes to receive information associated with available incentives.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether an indication exists that the user subscribes to receive information associated with available incentives, includes:

transmitting a subscriber request to the device associated the user; and

receiving a response from the device associated with the user, including a subscriber ID.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting identifying information corresponding to the access request to a host, includes:

transmitting a subscriber ID corresponding to the device associated with the user to the host and a server ID corresponding to the server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving incentive information from the host reflecting available incentives corresponding to the identifying information, includes:

receiving incentive information reflecting a selection of incentives based on at least one of the subscriber ID and the server ID.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving incentive information from the host reflecting available incentives corresponding to the identifying information, includes:

transmitting a subscriber ID corresponding to the device associated with the user to the host.

8. A computer-implemented method for accessing incentives in an network comprising:

transmitting an access request to access a server in the network;

receiving a subscriber request for a subscriber ID associated with the access request;

transmitting the subscriber ID to the server; and

receiving, in response to the access request, incentive information reflecting available incentives corresponding to the subscriber ID, wherein the server provides the subscriber ID to a host that selects and transmits the incentive information to the server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting an access request to access a server in the network, includes:

providing a browser enabling a user to formulate and transmit the access request.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving, in response to the access request, incentive information reflecting available incentives corresponding to the subscriber ID, wherein the server provides the subscriber ID to a host that selects and transmits the incentive information to the server, includes:

receiving selected incentive information reflecting a server ID associated with the server, wherein the server provides the server ID to the host for selection of the incentive information.

11. A system for accessing incentives in an network, comprising:

means for receiving an access request from a device associated with a user and connected to the network;

means for transmitting identifying information corresponding to the access request to a host;

means for receiving incentive information from the host reflecting available incentives corresponding to the identifying information; and

means for transmitting a network document, including the incentive information, to the device associated with the user in response to the access request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiving means includes:

means for receiving a request for a document stored at least in part on the server.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitting means includes:

means for determining whether an indication exists that the user subscribes to receive information associated with available incentives.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining means includes:

means for transmitting a subscriber request to the device associated the user and means for receiving a response from the device associated with the user, including a subscriber ID.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitting means includes:

means for transmitting a subscriber ID corresponding to the device associated with the user to the host and an server ID corresponding to the server.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiving means includes:

means for obtaining incentive information reflecting a selection of incentives based on at least one of subscriber ID and the server ID.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein, the receiving means includes:

means for transmitting a subscriber ID corresponding to the device associated with the user to the host.

18. A system for accessing incentives in an network, comprising:

means for transmitting an access request to access a server in the network;

means for receiving a subscriber request for a subscriber ID associated with the access request;

means for transmitting the subscriber ID to the server; and

means for receiving, in response to the access request, incentive information reflecting available incentives corresponding to the subscriber ID, wherein the server provides the subscriber ID to a host that selects and transmits the incentive information to the server.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transmitting means includes:

means for providing a browser enabling a user to formulate and transmit the access request.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving means includes:

means for obtaining selected incentive information reflecting a server ID associated with the server, wherein the server provides the server ID to the host for selection of the incentive information.

21. A system for distributing information in a network, comprising:

a host server storing data corresponding to each one of a plurality of subscribers;

a plurality of network servers selectively accessible to the host server for receiving data corresponding to subscribers; and

at least one client machine selectively accessible to at least one of the network servers for accessing network documents, wherein when a subscriber causes the client machine to access one of the network servers, the accessed network server accesses the host server to obtain data corresponding to the subscriber for presentation to the subscriber on the client machine as a part of a network document.