ELECTRONIC COUPON MANAGEMENT

• US 20160267512A1
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Misra, Navendu, Puchek, Alexis, Stuard, Nicole L., Diaz, Jason M., Neff, John J., Jones, Alicia D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,657,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1408 the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for electronically managing coupons. The user no longer has to clip and organize coupons. The need for hand processing of coupons is substantially reduced. Rebates or payments for coupons can be substantially hastened and can be deposited directly into a user'"'"'s bank, credit card, or payment provider account. Merchants and manufactures no longer have to be concerned with receiving bad (e.g., invalid, expired, or counterfeit) coupons. Thus, the electronic coupon management system benefits the users, merchants, and manufactures.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing a digital wallet for a user, wherein the digital wallet comprises a digital token for identification of the digital wallet and transaction processing using at least coupons stored to the digital wallet;

one or more hardware processors configured to execute instructions to cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first coupon for a first product from a scan of a displayable code for the first coupon by a camera of a device of the user with the digital token, wherein the a first coupon comprises a first discount with a first merchant for the first product;

storing the first coupon for the product with the digital wallet for the user based on the digital token;

determining a publication displaying the first coupon from the displayable code;

determining additional coupons from the publication, wherein the additional coupons are displayed within the publication;

determining user preferences for coupons, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of merchants of interest and products of interest;

determining at least one second coupon from the user preferences;

storing the at least one second coupon with the first coupon;

receiving a first communication including the digital token and an indication of a desire of the user to purchase the product from the first merchant;

determining that the user has at least one valid coupon for the product using the first coupon and the at least one second coupon in the digital wallet; and

sending a second communication comprising the at least one valid coupon to the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

seconding the second communication to a point-of-sale device of the first merchant, wherein the second communication enters the at least one valid coupon to a transaction between the user and the first merchant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the user preferences based on a purchase history for the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of a desired geographic area for available merchants, a desired distance from a location set by the user for the available merchants, or a predefined time period for valid coupons for use by the user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one second coupon comprises at least one second discount for the product of the first coupon with one of the first merchant or a second merchant, and wherein the at least one second discount for the product is larger than a first discount for the first coupon.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the user, a request to search for a larger discount than the first discount,

wherein the at least one second coupon is further determined based on the request.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the communication comprises an alert that the at least one second discount is larger than the first discount with one of the first merchant or the second merchant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the publication comprises digital document available from a website or in an electronic message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

updating the user preferences based on purchases with the first merchant or a second merchant.

10. A method comprising:

providing a digital wallet to a user, wherein the digital wallet comprises a digital token for identification of the digital wallet and transaction processing using at least coupons stored to the digital wallet;

receiving a first coupon for a first product from a scan of a displayable code for the first coupon by a camera of a device of the user with the digital token, wherein the a first coupon comprises a first discount with a first merchant for the product;

storing the first coupon for the product with the digital wallet for the user based on the digital token;

determining a publication displaying the first coupon from the displayable code;

determining additional coupons from the publication, wherein the additional coupons are displayed within the publication;

determining user preferences for coupons, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of merchants of interest and products of interest;

determining at least one second coupon from the user preferences; and

storing the at least one second coupon with the first coupon.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

seconding the second communication to a point-of-sale device of the first merchant, wherein the second communication enters the at least one valid coupon to a transaction between the user and the first merchant.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the user preferences based on a purchase history for the user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of a desired geographic area for available merchants, a desired distance from a location set by the user for the available merchants, or a predefined time period for valid coupons for use by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one second coupon comprises at least one second discount for the product of the first coupon with one of the first merchant or a second merchant, and wherein the at least one second discount for the product is larger than a first discount for the first coupon.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the user, a request to search for a larger discount than the first discount,

wherein the at least one second coupon is further determined based on the request.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication comprises an alert that the at least one second discount is larger than the first discount with one of the first merchant or the second merchant.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the publication comprises digital document available from a website or in an electronic message.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

updating the user preferences based on purchases with the first merchant or a second merchant.

19. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a first communication including the digital token and an indication of a desire of the user to purchase the product from the first merchant;

determining that the user has at least one valid coupons for the product using the first coupon and the at least one second coupon in the digital wallet; and

sending a second communication comprising the at least one valid coupon to the device.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

providing a digital wallet to a user, wherein the digital wallet comprises a digital token for identification of the digital wallet and transaction processing using at least coupons stored to the digital wallet;

receiving a first coupon for a first product from a scan of a displayable code for the first coupon by a camera of a device of the user, wherein the a first coupon comprises a first discount with a first merchant for the product;

storing the first coupon for the product with the digital wallet for the user;

determining a publication displaying the first coupon from the displayable code;

determining additional coupons from the publication, wherein the additional coupons are displayed within the publication;

determining user preferences for coupons, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of merchants of interest and products of interest;

determining at least one second coupon from the user preferences; and

storing the at least one second coupon with the first coupon.