Method and system for electronic distribution of product redemption coupons

• US 6,321,208 B1
• Filed: 04/19/1995
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brightstreet.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Braunstein, Mark, Reisner, Karen R., Barnett, Craig W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US08/425,185
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 395/214, 395/216, 395/220, 395/226, 340/825.34, 235/381, 705/14, 705/16, 705/20, 705/26, 707/3, 707/10, 707/4, 707/9, 707/100, 707/104, 707/515, 707/526
• US Class Current: 705/14.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• 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 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• 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: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement

Abstract

Provided is a method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users'"'"' homes. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user'"'"'s computer. The user may view, select, sort and print desired coupons from the downloaded package. The user'"'"'s demographic as well as coupon selection data is provided back to the online service and coupon distributor and issuers for subsequent marketing analysis. The online service can perform subsequent coupon processing on previously downloaded coupon packages such as variation of discount amounts. The online service provider can also determine how many times a particular coupon was viewed. When the printed coupons are presented at a retail store, the discount is provided to the user. Upon redemption by the store via a coupon redeeming center, transaction data is also supplied to the coupon issuers and distributor for integration into marketing analysis. The electronic coupon system is secure due to the inclusion of user-specific identification indicia printed thereon.

Claims

1. An online method for a user to view and print at a remote terminal user-specific coupons based on a user profile, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a storage device at a central location electronic coupon information pertaining to a group of coupons available;

(b) receiving a request from a user for access to stored coupon information;

(c) determining if the user is a registered user, and if the user is not registered;

i) transmitting a prompt to the remote terminal to electronicaly complete a user profile and transmit the user profile to the central location;

ii) receiving and storing a user profile at the central location; and

iii) downloading to the remote terminal a coupon data management software module for managing the printing of coupons, including unique user identification information;

 

if the user is registered, accessing the stored user profile;

(d) viewing, by a remote terminal, selected ones of the stored coupons, the selected coupons being based on user-specific information, which comprises user profile information and/or user usage history information;

(e) receiving at the central location a request to transmit to the remote terminal at least one coupon data file, the coupon data file corresponding to a user selected coupon, the coupon data file comprising various fields, including a redemption amount field and other fields, the redemption amount field being indicative of a discount provided by the coupon, the redemption amount field and at least one other field being variable in accordance with user-specific information associated with the requesting user; and

(f) transmitting to the remote terminal the at least one coupon data file to enable the user to print a coupon using the coupon data management software module.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing data indicative of coupons printed by the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sorting coupons by a predetermined classification.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a shopping list including items corresponding to selected coupons.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the coupon comprises user-specific data including user identification information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user profile comprises demographic data associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user profile comprises prior coupon usage data associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon is generated at the remote terminal from the received coupon data file and a fixed coupon data file previously stored in a memory of the remote terminal, the fixed coupon data file comprising fixed coupon parameters and user-specific data.