Method and apparatus for selling subscriptions to periodicals in a retail environment

• US 6,317,723 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jindal, Sanjay K., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US09/335,644
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/17, 705/21, 705/23, 705/24, 705/26, 705/27, 235/375, 235/381
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

A system comprises a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a POS controller, a retail subscription system. The POS terminal allows a cashier to enter subscription sales data into the POS controller. The POS controller maintains databases on available subscriptions and produces databases containing data relating to subscriptions sold to customers. The retail subscription system verifies the subscriptions by reference to its own databases and transmits the subscriptions to a fulfillment house for distribution.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a subscription to a periodical, comprising:

receiving a request to purchase an issue of a periodical at a retail point of sale;

determining if a subscription to the periodical is available for purchase at the retail point of sale;

if a subscription is available for purchase at the retail point of sale, offering to sell the subscription to the periodical at a subscription rate;

receiving an acceptance to the offer to sell a subscription; and

providing the issue of the periodical as the first issue of the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request to purchase further comprises:

inputting a periodical identifier at the retail point of sale.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining if a subscription to the periodical is available further comprises:

comparing the periodical identifier with a set of stored periodical identifiers having subscriptions available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an acceptance to the offer includes:

receiving a completed subscription card from a customer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating an authentication code with the subscription.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authentication code is printed on a receipt produced for the transaction.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the receipt further includes a customer service number.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment for the subscription.

9. An apparatus for selling a subscription, comprising:

a memory storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory, in which the processor is directed by the program to;

receive a request to purchase an issue of a periodical at a retail point of sale;

determine if a subscription to the periodical is available for purchase at the retail point of sale;

if a subscription is available for purchase at the retail point of sale, offer to sell the subscription to the periodical at a subscription rate;

receive an acceptance to the offer to sell a subscription; and

provide the issue of the periodical as the first issue of the subscription.

10. An apparatus for selling a subscription, comprising:

means for receiving a request to purchase an issue of a periodical at a retail point of sale;

means for determining if a subscription to the periodical is available for purchase at the retail point of sale, and if a subscription is available for purchase at the retail point of sale,

means for offering to sell the subscription to the periodical at a subscription rate;

means for receiving an acceptance to the offer to sell a subscription; and

means for providing the issue of the periodical as the first issue of the subscription.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving a request to purchase further comprises:

means for inputting a periodical identifier at the retail point of sale.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the means for determining if a subscription to the periodical is available further comprises:

means for comparing the periodical identifier with a set of stored periodical identifiers having subscriptions available.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving an acceptance to the offer includes:

means for receiving a completed subscription card from a customer.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

means for associating an authentication code with the subscription.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authentication code is printed on a receipt produced for the transaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receipt further includes a customer service number.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for receiving payment for the subscription.