Electronic coupon communication system
First Claim
1. An electronic computer coupon communication system, comprising:
- (a) a network node for selecting, receiving and printing electronic coupons over a public computer network such as the Internet, said node including;
(1) a display coupled to a control processing unit for displaying at least one electronic coupon;
(2) a memory for storing electronic coupons received through electronic transmission from an Internet Coupon Server, which memory permits browsing on said display;
(3) a user input device coupled to said central processing unit to permit a user to make an on-line selection of one of a plurality of electronic coupons collectively stored in said Internet Coupon Server'"'"'s memory;
(b) said Internet Coupon Server being coupled to the Internet Coupon Notification Center, said Internet Coupon Server comprising;
(1) a memory for storing electronic coupons received from an Internet Coupon Server'"'"'s supplier;
(2) a central processing unit for generating and transmitting electronic coupons and for recording and transmitting electronic coupon transactions;
(3) an Internet Coupon Notification Center Gateway for enabling communication with said Internet Coupon Notification Center;
(c) an Internet Coupon Notification Center, including;
(1) means for recording serial numbers of coupons generated by an Internet Coupon Server;
(2) means for recording and updating transactions pertaining to redeemed electronic coupons; and
(d) an electronic coupon, comprising;
(1) a plurality of digital representations of product image and uniform product bar code;
(2) a plurality of digital representations of indicia identifying discount information, product title, coupon owner'"'"'s title, redemption specification, uniform product code, expiration date, coupon serial number, user'"'"'s name, user'"'"'s identification number, user'"'"'s Internet address and user'"'"'s personalized message.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic coupon communication system for generating and redeeming unique product discount coupons over public computer networks such as the Internet. The system comprises a first Internet node, an Internet coupon server and an Internet coupon notification center. The Internet coupon server generates a unique Internet coupon using a coupon generation process. The Internet coupon server accepts an on-line selection of one of the available unique Internet coupons from a user of the Internet node and transmits the coupon back to the user'"'"'s printing device or e-mail storage. It then records the transaction in its coupon database and notifies the transaction to the Internet Coupon Notification Center. The Internet Coupon Notification Center subsequently records the transaction. Furthermore, a coupon redemption center can electronically verify coupon validity and record coupon redemption by communicating with the Internet Coupon Notification Center.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An electronic computer coupon communication system, comprising:
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(a) a network node for selecting, receiving and printing electronic coupons over a public computer network such as the Internet, said node including; (1) a display coupled to a control processing unit for displaying at least one electronic coupon; (2) a memory for storing electronic coupons received through electronic transmission from an Internet Coupon Server, which memory permits browsing on said display; (3) a user input device coupled to said central processing unit to permit a user to make an on-line selection of one of a plurality of electronic coupons collectively stored in said Internet Coupon Server'"'"'s memory; (b) said Internet Coupon Server being coupled to the Internet Coupon Notification Center, said Internet Coupon Server comprising; (1) a memory for storing electronic coupons received from an Internet Coupon Server'"'"'s supplier; (2) a central processing unit for generating and transmitting electronic coupons and for recording and transmitting electronic coupon transactions; (3) an Internet Coupon Notification Center Gateway for enabling communication with said Internet Coupon Notification Center; (c) an Internet Coupon Notification Center, including; (1) means for recording serial numbers of coupons generated by an Internet Coupon Server; (2) means for recording and updating transactions pertaining to redeemed electronic coupons; and (d) an electronic coupon, comprising; (1) a plurality of digital representations of product image and uniform product bar code; (2) a plurality of digital representations of indicia identifying discount information, product title, coupon owner'"'"'s title, redemption specification, uniform product code, expiration date, coupon serial number, user'"'"'s name, user'"'"'s identification number, user'"'"'s Internet address and user'"'"'s personalized message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of generating a desired coupon in an electronic coupon communication system, comprising the steps of:
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selecting an electronic coupon by a user of a computer network node during an on-line session with a computer network Coupon Server; selecting a coupon from said computer network Coupon Server; generating a new coupon at the beginning of an on-line session; receiving a user selection of the electronic coupon during the on-line session from said computer network Coupon Server to said computer network node; transmitting the electronic coupon to the user'"'"'s computer network node during the on-line session; displaying said electronic coupon on a display device on said computer network; generating an optional request message for requesting said electronic coupon to be sent electronically; transmitting said optional request message corresponding to the selection of the electronic coupon request message including the electronic mail address of destination; arranging a coupon data base update in response to said electronic coupon transmission, for recording the transaction, including the user'"'"'s identification number and coupon serial number; changing the coupon serial number in coupon data base; sending a message to the coupon'"'"'s Internet Coupon Notification Center, said message comprising the coupon serial number and the user'"'"'s identification number; and verifying the validity of an electronic coupon at a redemption center by accessing said Internet Coupon Notification Center'"'"'s coupon generation database and an electronic coupon, comprising; (1) a plurality of digital representations of product image and uniform product bar code; (2) a plurality of digital representations of indicia identifying discount information, product title, coupon owner'"'"'s title, redemption specification, uniform product code, expiration date, coupon serial number, user'"'"'s name, user'"'"'s identification number, user'"'"'s Internet address and user'"'"'s personalized message. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A computerized electronic coupon generating system having an arrangement for recording and analyzing data relative to said coupon, over a public computer network, comprising:
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means for selecting an electronic coupon by a user of a computer network; means for generating an electronic coupon at the initiation of a session on a public computer network; means for receiving the selection of an electronic coupon of the user during a session on a public computer network; means for transmitting electronic coupons to the user'"'"'s computer system during a session on a public computer network; means for displaying electronic coupons on he user'"'"'s computer system; means for generating an optional request message for requesting electronic coupons to be sent electronically; means for transmitting an optional request message corresponding to the selection of the electronic coupon, including the electronic mail address of destination; means for arranging a coupon data base update for recording the transaction in response to an electronic coupon transmission including recording the user'"'"'s identification number and coupon serial number; means for sending a message to a computer network notification center, said message including said coupon'"'"'s serial number and the user'"'"'s identification number so as to thus record and provide an analytical base for said electronic coupon generation system; means for verifying the validity of an electronic coupon at a redemption center by accessing the Internet Coupon Notification Center'"'"'s coupon generation data base; and an electronic coupon, comprising; (1) a plurality of digital representations of product image and uniform product bar code; (2) a plurality of digital representations of indicia identifying discount information, product title, coupon owner'"'"'s title, redemption specification, uniform product code, expiration date, coupon serial number, user'"'"'s name, user'"'"'s identification number, user'"'"'s Internet address and user'"'"'s personalized message. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification