Dynamic discount card tied to price curves and group discounts

• US 7,815,114 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valentine Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Ewinwin Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesaros, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Minh Le, Thien
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US12/042,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/383, 235/492, 705/14, 705/26, 705/14.1, 705/14.13, 705/27
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• 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 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes

Abstract

Systems and/or methods are disclosed for interacting with a multiple criteria buying and/or selling system to conduct business electronically. A dynamic discount card is disclosed according to an aspect of the present invention. The dynamic discount card comprises an information access component for receiving information and a presentation component for displaying information to a user via the dynamic discount card.

Claims

1. A dynamic discount card that electronically facilitates business transactions, comprising:

an information access component that receives from a communication network information that relates to a product for sale at a price that is updateable according to aggregate demand, wherein the information access component further includes a profile associated with a cardholder of the dynamic discount card that indicates the information is targeted to a cardholder of the dynamic discount card; and

a presentation component that presents the information to a user.

2. The card of claim 1, the presentation component displays at least one of a product code, a picture, a current price, a future price, an availability, a shipping added and final price, a list of suppliers, a price history, a rating by supplier, a sorting by various options, and a filter associated with certain suppliers.

3. The card of claim 1 is disposable or expires after a predetermined time period.

4. The card of claim 1, further comprising a configuration component that initializes the information access component to receive information.

5. The card of claim 4, the configuration component at least one of transmits updated information to the information access component, preloads information to the information access component, loads a profile of a cardholder to the information access component, provides a user specific shipping preference to the information access component, or preloads a set of discounts to the information access component.

6. The card of claim 1, further comprising a user input component that facilitates a modification of the information presented by the presentation component, and that further propagates the modification to the network.

7. The card of claim 6, the user input component is at least one of a touch screen, voice recognition software, or a magnetic strip or stripe.

8. The card of claim 6, the information access component receives an update in response to the modification propagated via the network.

9. The card of claim 8, the update facilitates at least one of a global change in the aggregate demand that produces a change in the information presented by the presentation component, or a change in a location of the card that produces a change in one or more outlets for the product included in the information presented by the presentation component.

10. The card of claim 1 communicates with at least one of a demand card, a handled device, a product, a skid, a container, an ERP system, and a vehicle.

11. The card of claim 1, the network facilitates communication between one or more other dynamic discount cards to create a co-op of buyers with synchronized demand.

12. The card of claim 1, the profile indicates the information is suitably targeted to the cardholder based upon demographics associated with the cardholder included in the profile.

13. The card of claim 1, the profile indicates the information is suitably targeted to the cardholder based upon a current location associated with the cardholder.

14. The card of claim 1, the profile indicates the information is suitably targeted to the cardholder based upon one or more preference inferred from characteristics or behavior of the cardholder.

15. The card of claim 1, the price is further updateable based upon data included in the profile.

16. A method for utilizing a dynamic discount card for transacting business electronically, comprising:

utilizing a network as a communication medium for a dynamic discount card;

receiving information that relates to a product, the information including at least an aspect of aggregated demand;

storing the information to the dynamic discount card;

electronically determining targeted information targeted to a cardholder of the dynamic discount card based upon a profile associated with the cardholder; and

presenting the targeted information by way of a set of I/O features included in the dynamic discount card.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising utilizing the set of I/O features for entering an order for the product.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the dynamic discount card based upon user characteristics.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising updating the information presented by the set of I/O features.

20. A dynamic discount card system that electronically conducts business comprising:

means for receiving aggregation-based product information with a dynamic discount card;

means for employing a profile associated with a cardholder of the dynamic discount card for targeting the product information to the dynamic discount card;

means for displaying the product information on one or more I/O features of the dynamic discount card; and

means for utilizing the dynamic discount card for offering and accepting a product purchase order.