Automated coupon processing system employing coupon with identifying code and chosen second identifying code uniquely identifying the coupon
First Claim
1. An automated coupon processing system for use with coupons having information printed thereon, the information including at least a first identifying code, said system comprising:
- input means for inputting the information, including the first identifying code, from a coupon to said system, said input means including means for discerning the first identifying code from the input information;
data storage means for storing data corresponding to the first identifying codes of the coupons and data indicative of other coupon information;
processing means for processing the information input from the input means and the data in said storage means, said processing means including;
means for determining whether the first identifying code of a coupon is stored in said data storage means and has at least two second identifying codes associated therewith using data stored in said means for storing data; and
means for identifying the second identifying codes associated with the first identifying code; and
means for choosing a particular one of the second identifying codes, wherein the first identifying code and said particular one of the second identifying codes uniquely identify the coupon.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated coupon processing system inputs information from a manufacturer coupon, discerns a first identifying code from the coupon, correlates the first identifying code with one or more second identifying codes, and chooses a particular one of the second identifying codes, where the first identifying code and the chosen second identifying code uniquely identify the coupon. The system can prompt an operator to select one of the second identifying codes or to enter a coupon expiration date that corresponds to one of the second identifying codes. Coupons information can be entered using a bar code reader, an OCR scanner, a combination bar code reader/OCR scanner, and/or manual entry.
269 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An automated coupon processing system for use with coupons having information printed thereon, the information including at least a first identifying code, said system comprising:
-
input means for inputting the information, including the first identifying code, from a coupon to said system, said input means including means for discerning the first identifying code from the input information; data storage means for storing data corresponding to the first identifying codes of the coupons and data indicative of other coupon information; processing means for processing the information input from the input means and the data in said storage means, said processing means including; means for determining whether the first identifying code of a coupon is stored in said data storage means and has at least two second identifying codes associated therewith using data stored in said means for storing data; and means for identifying the second identifying codes associated with the first identifying code; and means for choosing a particular one of the second identifying codes, wherein the first identifying code and said particular one of the second identifying codes uniquely identify the coupon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of processing coupons, comprising:
-
inputting to a processor information from a manufacturer coupon; discerning a first identifying code from the information input to the processor from the coupon; determining whether the first identifying code is included in records stored in a computer data file; if the first identifying code is included in records stored in the computer data file, then determining whether two or more second identifying codes are associated with the first identifying code on the coupon; and if two or more second identifying codes are associated with the first identifying code, then performing the steps of; identifying the second identifying codes associated with the first identifying code; and choosing a particular one of the second identifying codes, wherein the first identifying code and said particular one of the second identifying codes uniquely identify the coupon. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification