System and method for providing receipts, advertising, promotion, loyalty programs, and contests to a consumer via an application-specific user interface on a personal communication device

• US 8,032,414 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Williams, Rodger, Payne, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHORNESKY, ADAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/761,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.3, 705/14.37, 705/14.38, 705/14.49, 705/14.64, 705/14.65, 235/381
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3265 characterised by personalisation for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing a consumer advertising transaction at a retail device are disclosed. According to one system and method, an identifier associated with the retail device is provided to a personal communication device. An application-specific user interface specific to the retail device is associated based on the identifier. A selection is received for the consumer advertising transaction made by a consumer interacting with the application-specific user interface executing on the personal communication device. The consumer advertising transaction is performed based on the received selection for the consumer advertising transaction made by the consumer interacting with the application-specific user interface.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a transaction by a server and a retail device of a retail establishment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an indicia via the retail device, wherein the indicia uniquely identifies the retail device and is capturable by a mobile device;

receiving the indicia at the server from the mobile device after being captured by the mobile device;

identifying the retail device based on the indicia;

selecting a first user interface based on the step of identifying the retail device; and

transmitting the first user interface to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a selection of a first item from the mobile device made using the first user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the first item to a user of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the retail device provides the first item to the user of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the retail device is a fuel dispenser and the first item is fuel.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the first item is provided to the user of the mobile device at a store located adjacent the retail device.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving from the mobile device data sufficient to effect payment for the first item;

and providing the first item upon verification of the data sufficient to effect payment for the first item.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising transmitting an electronic receipt to the mobile device for the transaction.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the data sufficient to effect payment for the first item comprises an account number associated with a payment card.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the data sufficient to effect payment for the first item comprises an identifier that uniquely identifies the mobile device, the method further comprising retrieving account information associated with a user of the mobile device based on the identifier;

and effecting payment for the first item using the account information.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising transmitting a notification to the mobile device that the first item is ready to be dispensed.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising verifying the notification as proof of purchase of the first item prior to the step of providing the first item.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising selecting a second user interface based on the step of identifying the retail device;

and transmitting the second user interface to the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving a selection of a second item from the mobile device made using the second user interface;

and dispensing the second item.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first item is dispensed by the retail device and the second item is dispensed at a store located adjacent the retail device.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a user of the mobile device based on data received from the mobile device;

and customizing the user interface based on a characteristic of the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the user interface comprises an advertisement.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the data comprises a unique identifier associated with the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the data comprises an account associated with the user and maintained by the retail establishment.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of an age of the user, an income of the user, and an account associated with the user and maintained by the retail establishment.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a location of the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising customizing the user interface based on the location.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining whether to authorize the transaction based on a comparison of the location of the mobile device to a location of the retail device.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises an advertisement.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the advertisement is for a local vendor.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the local vendor is a hotel.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia uniquely identifies the retail establishment.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a list of items that may be purchased from a store located adjacent the retail device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the store is a restaurant and the list is a menu of items offered by the restaurant.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the retail device is operatively connected to the server via a wide area network.

31. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the retail establishment based on the step of identifying the retail device;

and selecting the user interface based on the step of identifying the retail establishment.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the server from the mobile device data representative of a language;

and translating the user interface into the language.

50. The method of claim 19 wherein the wireless signal complies with IEEE 802.11 standards.

33. A method for facilitating a transaction using a server and a retail device of a retail establishment, the method comprising the steps of:

capturing on a mobile device an indicia provided by the retail device, wherein the indicia uniquely identifies the retail device;

transmitting the indicia to the server using the mobile device; and

receiving from the server on the mobile device a user interface corresponding to the retail establishment, whereby the user interface was selected by the server based on an identification of the retail device and the retail device was identified by the server using the indicia.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the indicia is transmitted from the mobile device to the server via the retail device.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising establishing a direct connection between the mobile device and the retail device based on a code received from the server.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising storing the user interface on memory of the mobile device;

and presenting the user interface on the mobile device.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising receiving, at the mobile device from the server, an identification of the user interface, wherein the step of presenting the user interface on the mobile device comprises loading the user interface from the memory of the mobile device based on the identification of the user interface received from the server.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising purchasing an item from the retail establishment using the user interface;

and receiving a notification at the mobile device that the item is ready.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising receiving the item from the retail establishment upon presentation of the notification to the retail establishment.

40. The method of claim 33 further comprising translating the user interface by the mobile device into a specific language, wherein data stored on the mobile device identifies the language.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein the user interfaced is used to interact with the retail device.

42. The method of claim 33 wherein the indicia is a graphical identifier.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of capturing indicia comprises taking a picture of the graphical identifier using the mobile device.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the graphical identifier is a barcode.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the barcode is two-dimensional.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the two-dimensional barcode is a mobile code.

47. The method of claim 33 wherein the indicia is a sound wave.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the step of capturing indicia comprises recording the sound wave using the mobile device.

49. The method of claim 33 wherein the indicia is a wireless signal.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein the wireless signal is a radio wave.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the radio wave is provided by an energized radio frequency identification tag.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the wireless signal is provided by a radio frequency identification tag reader.

54. The method of claim 49 wherein the wireless signal complies with Bluetooth standards.

55. A system for facilitating a transaction for a retail establishment comprising:

a retail device having a fixed physical location and configured to provide an indicia that uniquely identifies the retail device and is capable of being captured by a mobile device; and

a server configured to receive data representative of the indicia, identify the retail device based on the data, select a user interface based on the identification of the retail device, and transmit the user interface to the mobile device.

56. A server for facilitating a transaction for a retail establishment having a retail device, wherein the server is configured to:

receive data from a mobile device representative of an indicia provided by the retail device to the mobile device, whereby the indicia uniquely identifies the retail device;

identify the retail device based on an analysis of the indicia;

select a user interface associated with the retail device based on the identification of the retail device; and

transmit the user interface to the mobile device.

57. The server of claim 56 wherein the user interface provides a user with a discount when presented to the retail establishment.

58. The server of claim 56 wherein the user interface may be transmitted to another mobile device.

59. The server of claim 56 configured to receive data from the mobile device representative of a location of the mobile device;

and determine whether to cancel the transaction based on a comparison of the location of the mobile device and a location of the retail device.

60. The server of claim 56 wherein the data comprises an identifier of the mobile device.

61. The server of claim 60 configured to determine a location of the mobile device using the identifier of the mobile device;

and determine whether to authorize the transaction based on a comparison of the location of the mobile device and a location of the retail device.

62. The server of claim 60 configured to identify an account associated with the mobile device based on the identifier of the mobile device.

63. The server of claim 62 configured to retrieve demographic information about an owner of the mobile device based on the identification of the account associated with the mobile device;

and customize the user interface based on the demographic information.

64. The server of claim 63 wherein the demographic information comprises information regarding an income of the owner and the user interface is an advertisement customized based on the information regarding the income.

65. A method for facilitating a transaction for a retail establishment that comprises a retail device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving first data from a mobile device representative of an indicia, wherein the indicia uniquely identifies the retail device and is provided by the retail device to the mobile device;

receiving second data from the mobile device representative of payment information;

identifying the retail device based on an analysis of the first data; and

instructing the retail device to dispense an item based on the second data.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the retail device is a fuel dispenser and the item is fuel.

67. The method of claim 65 further comprising:

receiving data representative of a location of the mobile device;

comparing the location of the mobile device to a location of the retail device; and

based on the comparison, determining whether to perform the step of instructing the retail device to dispense an item based on the second data.

68. The method of claim 65 further comprising selecting a user interface based on the step of identifying the retail device based on an analysis of the first data.

69. The method of claim 68 further comprising receiving data representative of the item from the mobile device wherein the item is selected using the user interface.

70. A retail device located within a retail environment and configured to dispense an item, the retail device comprising a mechanism to provide an indicia that uniquely identifies the retail device, wherein the indicia is configured to be captured by a mobile device and transmitted to a server, whereby the indicia, when transmitted from the mobile device to the server, allows the server to identify the retail device, select a user interface based on an identification of the retail device, and transmit the user interface to the mobile device.

71. The retail device of claim 70 wherein the retail device receives data representative of an authorization to dispense the item, wherein the data representative of the authorization was transmitted to the retail device based on information received from the mobile device due to interaction with the user interface by a user of the mobile device.

72. The retail device of claim 71 wherein the retail device receives the data representative of the authorization from the server.

73. The retail device of claim 70 wherein the retail device is configured to interact with the mobile device via the user interface.