Game presentation in a retail establishment

• US 7,533,810 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Fincham, Magdalena M., Bemer, Keith, Alderucci, Dean P., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Gilman, Norman C., Golden, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/668,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/378, 902/22, 705/14, 705/16
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• 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 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• 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 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 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• 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

Abstract

A game presentation such as a virtual slot machine is displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal. The game presentation includes images of products for which product identifying codes are entered at the POS terminal. The game presentation indicates to a customer an outcome of a random process pursuant to which the customer may be awarded a benefit such as a free product, a discount on a product selected for purchase, a coupon or an upsell offer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a customer identifier for identifying the customer;

receiving at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

accessing customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generating a plurality of random outcomes;

determining an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

providing the offer,

in which receiving the customer identifier comprises receiving data from at least one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a keypad, or a touch screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer information comprises at least one of a customer address, a purchasing history of the customer, and an outcome previously provided to the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, in which determining an offer further comprises utilizing at least a portion of the customer information to determine which ones of a plurality of offers are available.

4. The method of claim 1, in which determining the offer comprises selecting at least one offer from a plurality of offers, wherein each offer has a respective sponsor.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the offer further comprises selecting the offer from a plurality of offers, each offer having a respective likelihood of being awarded.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising basing the likelihood of providing a particular offer on at least one of an amount paid by a corresponding sponsor of the offer, and at least one outcome previously provided to the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the at least one product identifier along with the customer information and the random outcomes to determine the offer.

8. The method of claim 1, in which providing the offer comprises providing the customer with at least two offers.

9. The method of claim 1, in which providing the offer comprises displaying an image on a screen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the image comprises at least one of indicia of a virtual slot machine, a game presentation, and a text presentation corresponding to the offer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a coupon to the customer based on at least one coupon rule.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one coupon rule provides for issuing the coupon if at least one of the customer has shopped at a retailer on at least one prior occasion, and if a product corresponding to the coupon was purchased in a previous transaction.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to providing the offer, charging the customer to have an offer provided.

14. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

receive a customer identifier for identifying the customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

provide the offer.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for receiving the customer identifier comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive data from at least one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a keypad, and a touch screen.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for accessing the customer information comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to obtain at least one of a customer address, a purchasing history of the customer, and an outcome previously provided to the customer.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for determining an offer further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to utilize at least a portion of the customer information to determine which ones of a plurality of offers are available.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for determining the offer comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to select at least one offer from a plurality of offers, wherein each offer has a respective sponsor.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for determining the offer comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to select the offer from a plurality of offers, each offer having a respective likelihood of being awarded.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to base the likelihood of providing a particular offer on at least one of an amount paid by a corresponding sponsor of the offer, and at least one outcome previously provided to the customer.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 14, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to utilize the at least one product identifier along with the customer information and the random outcomes to determine the offer.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for providing the offer comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to provide the customer with at least two offers.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which the instructions for providing the offer comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to display an image on a screen.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, in which the instructions for displaying the image on a screen comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to display at least one of indicia of a virtual slot machine, a game presentation, and a text presentation corresponding to the offer.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a coupon to the customer based on at least one coupon rule.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the at least one coupon rule comprises instructions to direct the processor to issue the coupon if the customer has shopped at the store on at least one prior occasion, or if a product corresponding to the coupon was purchased in a previous transaction.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 14, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to, prior to providing the offer, charge the customer to have an offer provided.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communication device coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

receive a customer identifier for identifying the customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

provide the offer.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least one of an input device, a display, and an output device coupled to the processor.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the data storage device further comprises at least one database.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one database comprises at least one of a product database, a coupon database, an upsell database, a customer database, a likelihood of occurrence database, a presentation database, and a transaction database.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a customer identifier at a point of sale terminal that identifies the customer;

receiving at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

accessing customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generating a plurality of random outcomes;

determining an offer based on the random outcomes, at least a portion of the customer information, and the product identifier; and

providing the offer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a benefit to the customer corresponding to the offer.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising, prior to providing the benefit, charging the customer for the privilege of having a benefit provided.

35. The method of claim 33, in which providing the benefit comprises at least one of issuing a coupon, providing a check for a rebate, providing a discount offer for a product other than the product selected by the customer, providing a cash prize, and providing a free item.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a game presentation to the customer that corresponds to the offer.

37. The method of claim 36, in which the game presentation comprises an image displayed on a screen that represents the offer.

38. The method of claim 37, in which the image corresponds to indicia of at least one of a virtual slot machine, a virtual car race, a virtual sports competition, and a virtual roulette wheel.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a text presentation to the customer corresponding to the offer.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the customer information comprises at least one of a customer address, a purchasing history of the customer, and an outcome previously provided to the customer.

41. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a coupon to the customer based on at least one coupon rule.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one coupon rule provides for issuing the coupon if at least one of the customer has shopped at a retailer on at least one prior occasion, and if a product corresponding to the coupon was purchased in a previous transaction.

43. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

receive a customer identifier at a point of sale terminal that identifies the customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine an offer based on the random outcomes, at least a portion of the customer information, and the product identifier; and

provide the offer.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a benefit to the customer corresponding to the offer.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to charge the customer for the privilege of having a benefit provided.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 44, in which the instructions to provide the benefit comprises instructions to direct the processor to at least one of issue a coupon, provide a check for a rebate, provide a discount offer for a product other than the product selected by the customer, provide a cash prize, and provide a free item.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a game presentation to the customer that corresponds to the offer.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, in which the instructions for providing a game presentation comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to display an image on a screen that represents the offer.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 47, in which the instructions for providing a game presentation comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to display indicia of at least one of a virtual slot machine, a virtual car race, a virtual sports competition, and a virtual roulette wheel.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a text presentation to the customer corresponding to the offer.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 43, in which the instructions for accessing customer information comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to obtain at least one of a customer address, a purchasing history of the customer, and an outcome previously provided to the customer.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions configured to direct the processor to provide a coupon to the customer based on at least one coupon rule.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 52, wherein the at least one coupon rule comprises instructions to direct the processor to issue the coupon if the customer has shopped at the store on at least one prior occasion, or if a product corresponding to the coupon was purchased in a previous transaction.

54. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communication device coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

receive a customer identifier at a point of sale terminal that identifies the customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine an offer based on the random outcomes, at least a portion of the customer information, and the product identifier; and

provide the offer.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising at least one of an input device, a display, and an output device coupled to the processor.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the data storage device further comprises at least one database.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the at least one database comprises at least one of a product database, a coupon database, an upsell database, a customer database, a likelihood of occurrence database, a presentation database, and a transaction database.