System for electronically recording and redeeming coupons

• US 5,192,854 A
• Filed: 02/05/1992
• Issued: 03/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reginald D. Counts
• Original Assignee: Reginald D. Counts
• Inventors: Counts, Reginald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKORSKI, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US07/829,561
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 235/472, 364/402, 364/404, 364/405
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

An electronic coupon system handles coupons selected by a customer. The coupons have a product code of the product covered by the coupon and have a corresponding coupon code representing information relating to the value of the coupon. A coupon scanner used by the customer scans the coupons and has a memory for storing data representing the scanned product codes and their corresponding coupon codes. A product scanner at a retail store scans product codes of products to be purchased and provides data representing the scanned codes. A processor credits to the customer the value of the coupon when the data representing the scanned codes corresponds to the data in the coupon scanner memory. The system may also include a kiosk having a processor interfacing with the coupon scanner for providing to the scanner additional data and for providing to the kiosk information stored in the coupon scanner.

Claims

1. A coupon redemption system for redeeming product coupons having a first set of data thereon, said first set of data being in a machine readable format and comprising coupon value, expiration date, and product identification, said system comprising:

personal coupon scanner means for use by a purchaser of products for scanning, decoding, and storing said first set of data, and also having a display means associated therewith for displaying scanned and stored information contained in said coupon scanner, said personal coupon scanner means being a self contained remote handheld device adapted to be carried by said purchaser of product and used to record coupon information obtained from advertising media at locations remote from a purchasing location;

register means located at a product purchase location for scanning and tallying a second set of data, said second set of data comprising product identification data corresponding to product selected for purchase by said purchaser of product;

recorder means for connecting to said coupon scanner and said register means for comparing said first set of data to said second set of data and accumulating a tallied value of correspondence between said sets of data for redemption of said tallied value against said product selected for purchase; and

kiosk means providing a central in-store database for accumulating from all the recorder means connected in the system the tally of correspondence of said first and second sets of data.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said recorder means further comprising:

means for updating the coupon data in the coupon scanner to reflect a coupon redemption;

a crediting means for assigning and remitting bonuses and updating bonus information in said coupon scanner;

a means for comparing and accumulating a tally of correspondence between said first and second sets of data and, display means for displaying such information to said purchaser.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said kiosk means further comprises:

second recorder means for providing additional interfacing with the coupon scanner for providing to the coupon scanner additional data and for providing to the kiosk information stored in the coupon scanner.