Method and apparatus for selective distribution of discount coupons based on prior customer behavior

• US 5,832,457 A
• Filed: 04/03/1995
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing International Incorporated (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Michael F., Katz, Gary M., Off, George W., Cherney, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US08/417,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 395/214, 395/223, 235/375, 235/383, 705/14, 705/23, 705/10, 705/16, 705/17, 705/18, 705/21, 705/39, 705/44
• US Class Current: 705/14.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A system for automatically distributing discount coupons or certificates in a retail store, conditioned on a preselected combination of present and past shopping behavior of a customer whose order is being processed at a checkout stand. Generation of a printable discount coupon can be based on any desired combination of customer-supplied data, obtained from a customer identification data base, past shopping activity, derived from data gathered during previous customer visits to the store, and present shopping activity, as evidenced by items identified in the current customer order. Collection of data pertaining to past behavior of customers is facilitated by filtering all sales transaction data at the point of sale. If all of the preselected conditions for generation of a coupon are satisfied, the coupon is generated and printed at the checkout stand.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

(a) one or more terminals at customer checkout locations, each one of said one or more terminals having means for reading product codes on product items in a customer order;

(b) item record file means for storing price and product identification information for each product item;

(c) a store controller with which said one or more terminals can communicate, said store controller in communication with said item record file;

(d) means for storing the terms and conditions of discount deals for which a customer may qualify;

(e) means for uniquely identifying the customer based upon a scannable identification card;

(f) means for identifying triggering products in the customer'"'"'s order;

(g) customer purchase file means for storing data pertaining to the customer'"'"'s purchase of triggering products, for use in determining whether present and future coupon deals should be effective;

(h) means for automatically generating data defining a discount coupon if conditions of a discount deal have been met by the customer, said conditions including whether a triggering product that was previously purchased by the customer was purchased in a time period that spans a specified time prior to the present time of purchase by the customer; and

(i) means for printing the discount coupon for immediate distribution to the customer while the customer is still at one of the checkout locations;

(j) a remote host computer for processing data and generating reports;

(k) a remote database for storing data, said remote database in communication with said remote host computer;

(l) means for placing said remote host computer in communication with said store controller for transmitting data captured at said terminals to said remote host computer;

(m) said store controller comprising means for performing a filter process for determining selected customer purchase data;

(n) filter log file means for collecting and storing said selected customer purchase data, and collecting and storing credit provider authorization time-out data, said time-out data comprising an amount of time-outs received during electronic tendering transactions, each tendering transaction involving an electronic request for authorization for credit from a credit provider, and system test data, said system test data comprising a log of events including loop error events, terminal reload events, price changes at the terminal and item-not-on-file events; and

(o) means for selectively deactivating said means for performing a filter process.