IDENTIFYING AND DISPENSING SPECIAL OFFERS BASED ON CURRENT AND/OR PAST TRANSACTIONS

• US 20150379550A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Warner, Shannon L., Black, Marc R., Mellas, Lisa, Mazour, James L., Viswanathan, Rajkumar, Salters, Michael D., Berg, Glenda L., Bailey, Ann Elizabeth, Greeder, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,482,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using smart card technology are provided. A loyalty system allows a user to systematically search, identify, store, and redeem electronic coupons and rebates associated with products from a large number of providers and manufactures. The loyalty system also integrates the activities associated with the user incentive program (e.g., coupon collection, storage, and redemption, etc.), with existing payment methods (e.g., charging a credit card, etc.) using smart card technology. Thus, the loyalty system allows the user to obtain savings and otherwise participate in the user incentive program without adding time consuming and tedious processing that is normally associated with coupon and rebate programs.

Claims

1. A method for providing a loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using circuit chip technology, the method comprising:

identifying a special offer for a user based on activity by the user;

automatically dispensing the special offer to the user by downloading the special offer to a circuit chip associated with the user; and

a POS terminal accessing the circuit chip in a transaction with the user and applying the special offer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the POS terminal accesses the circuit chip and applies the special offer during the user'"'"'s next transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the special offer is practiced at a time other than at a time of a user transaction, and wherein the POS terminal accesses the circuit chip and applies the special offer at a future interaction between the user and the loyalty and rewards system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the special offer is practiced by analyzing current basket information and past shopping history information during a user transaction, and wherein automatically dispensing the special offer to the user comprises dispensing the special offer to the user during the user transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically dispensing the special offer to the user comprises:

determining that the special offer is for future use; and

automatically saving the special offer to the circuit chip associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising informing the user that the special offer has been saved to the circuit chip associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step is practiced based on a product type purchased by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step is practiced based on a dollar amount of a current transaction, wherein if the dollar amount exceeds a predefined dollar amount, the special offer is identified for the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit chip includes a memory storing user identification and incentive program information, the method further comprising apportioning the memory into a plurality of memory slots and designating at least one of the memory slots for the special offer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing items for purchase selected by the user at the POS terminal;

the POS terminal accessing the user'"'"'s circuit chip and comparing the items for purchase with the special offer saved to the circuit chip; and

the POS terminal automatically applying the special offer.

11. A loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using circuit chip technology, the system comprising:

a user input device;

a user output device comprising a display device;

processing circuitry programmed to;

identify a special offer for a user based on activity by the user, and automatically dispense the special offer to the user by downloading the special offer to a circuit chip associated with the user; and

a POS terminal accessing the circuit chip in a transaction with the user and applying the special offer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is further programmed to determine that the special offer is to be automatically applied to the user during the user'"'"'s next transaction.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is further programmed to:

analyze current basket information and past shopping history information during the user transaction; and

dispense the special offer to the user during the user transaction.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is further programmed to:

determine that the special offer is for future use; and

automatically save the special offer to the circuit chip associated with the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further programmed to inform the user that the special offer has been saved to the circuit chip associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry identifies the special offer based on a product type purchased by the user.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry identifies the special offer based on a dollar amount of a current transaction, wherein if the dollar amount exceeds a predefined dollar amount, the special offer is identified for the user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the circuit chip includes a memory storing user identification and incentive program information, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory slots, and wherein at least one of the memory slots is designated for the special offer.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the POS terminal processes items for purchase selected by the user, the POS terminal accessing the user'"'"'s circuit chip and comparing the items for purchase with the special offer saved to the circuit chip, wherein the POS terminal automatically applies the special offer.

20. A method for providing a loyalty and rewards system that implements a user incentive program using circuit chip technology, the method comprising:

maintaining a website that is programmed to administer the user incentive program, the website providing user access to a plurality of selectable features of the user incentive program, wherein one of the selectable features comprises electronic coupons;

storing user identification and incentive program information;

identifying a special offer for the user based on activity by the user;

automatically dispensing the special offer to the user by downloading the special offer to a circuit chip associated with the user;

processing items for purchase selected by the user at a POS terminal;

the POS terminal accessing the user'"'"'s circuit chip and comparing the items for purchase with the special offer saved to the circuit chip; and

the POS terminal automatically applying the special offer.