Electronic coupon system and method of processing electronic coupon card for storage and redemption

• US 6,691,915 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Standard Register Company (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Standard Register Company (Middleby Corporation)
• Inventors: Hileman, Martin H., Schafer, Loren C., Thaxton, Daniel David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/192,842
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 705/14, 705/16, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3437 the counter having non-monetary units, e.g. trips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

An electronic coupon system and a method of processing electronic coupons are provided utilizing a coupon card on which data representing selected coupons may be stored for subsequent redemption at a point-of-sale terminal. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic coupon system is provided including, a coupon card, an in-store kiosk, a point-of-sale terminal, a host computer, and a coupon data processor. The host computer is in communication with the in-store kiosk and the point-of-sale terminal. The in-store kiosk includes a user interface and a coupon card interface. The point-of-sale terminal includes a transaction data interface and a point-of-sale coupon card interface. The coupon data processor is programmed to correlate the transaction data with the coupon data read from the coupon card by the coupon card interface and to reduce the product sale price by an amount indicated in the coupon data.

Claims

1. An electronic coupon system comprising:

a coupon card;

an in-store kiosk including

a user interface including coupon selection instrumentation operative to prompt entry of coupon selection data at said user interface and to record said coupon selection data, and

a coupon card interface including coupon card writing instrumentation operative to write coupon data to said coupon card according to said coupon selection data and coupon card reading instrumentation operative to read coupon data written to said coupon card;

a point-of-sale terminal including

a transaction data interface operative to permit entry of transaction data representative of a product sale and a product sale price, and

a point-of-sale coupon card interface including coupon card reading instrumentation operative to read coupon data written to said coupon card and coupon card writing instrumentation operative to remove coupon data from said coupon card according to said transaction data;

a host computer in communication with said in-store kiosk and said point-of-sale terminal;

a coupon data processor programmed to correlate said transaction data with said coupon data read from said coupon card by said coupon card interface and to reduce said product sale price by an amount indicated in said coupon data; and

a report generator programmed to generate a products-of-interest report, wherein said products-of-interest report lists products identified in coupons selected at said user interface but not identified in said transaction data.

2. An electronic coupon system comprising:

a coupon card;

an in-store kiosk including

a user interface including coupon selection instrumentation operative to prompt entry of coupon selection data at said user interface and to record said coupon selection data, and

a coupon card interface including coupon card writing instrumentation operative to write coupon data to said coupon card according to said coupon selection data and coupon card reading instrumentation operative to read coupon data written to said coupon card;

a point-of-sale terminal including

a transaction data interface operative to permit entry of transaction data representative of a product sale and a product sale price, and

a point-of-sale coupon card interface including coupon card reading instrumentation operative to read coupon data written to said coupon card and coupon card writing instrumentation operative to remove coupon data from said coupon card according to said transaction data;

a host computer in communication with said in-store kiosk and said point-of-sale terminal;

a coupon data processor programmed to correlate said transaction data with said coupon data read from said coupon card by said coupon card interface and to reduce said product sale price by an amount indicated in said coupon data;

a report generator programmed to generate a coupons-to-expire report, wherein said coupons-to-expire report lists coupons from coupon data written to said coupon card set to expire by a predetermined date.

3. A method of processing electronic coupons comprising the steps of:

inputting coupon selection data generated at an in-store kiosk;

storing said coupon selection data on a coupon card at said in-store kiosk;

inputting transaction data generated at a point-of-sale terminal, wherein said transaction data is representative of a product sale and a product sale price;

reading coupon data written to said coupon card at said point-of-sale terminal;

correlating said transaction data with said coupon data read from said coupon card;

removing coupon data from said coupon card at said point-of-sale terminal according to said transaction data;

reducing said product sale price by an amount indicated in said coupon data; and

generating a products-of-interest report listing products identified in said coupon selection data but not identified in said transaction data.

4. A method of processing electronic coupons as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the step of generating a product tracking report that enables monitoring of coupons selected at said in-store kiosk and actually redeemed at said point of sale.

5. A method of processing electronic coupons comprising the steps of:

inputting coupon selection data generated at an in-store kiosk;

storing said coupon selection data on a coupon card at said in-store kiosk;

inputting transaction data generated at a point-of-sale terminal, wherein said transaction data is representative of a product sale and a product sale price;

reading coupon data written to said coupon card at said point-of-sale terminal;

correlating said transaction data with said coupon data read from said coupon card;

removing coupon data from said coupon card at said point-of-sale terminal according to said transaction data;

reducing said product sale price by an amount indicated in said coupon data; and

generating a coupons-to-expire report listing products identified in coupon data written to said coupon card and set to expire by a predetermined date.