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Electric couponing method and apparatus

  • US 5,710,886 A
  • Filed: 06/16/1995
  • Issued: 01/20/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A series of operational steps to be performed with the aid of a computer for distributing and generating coupons, comprising the steps of:

  • generating in a first computer a database comprising at least a list of consumer names and addresses,generating in the first computer a package of data for a selected group of consumers from the list, the package of data including at least one coupon data,transmitting from the first computer the package of data to computers of the selected group of consumers from the list,entering, in the first computer, identification data received from a consumer from the selected group of consumers,transmitting to a computer of the consumer a validation code so as to allow the computer of the consumer to generate at least one coupon from the at least one coupon data in the package of data,generating in the computer of the consumer, in response to a command input by a consumer, at least one coupon from the at least one coupon data in the package of data, the at least one coupon including at least a consumer identification number derived from the validation code,processing, in the first computer, the at least one coupon when the at least one coupon has been redeemed, to retrieve the at least customer identification number, andupdating, in the first computer, the database from information retrieved from said processing step to indicate whether a consumer has redeemed the at least one coupon.

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