Systems for implementing a loyalty program

• US 8,121,917 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Insolia, Gerard E., Antao, Leonard Frank, Phillips, Anthony James, Kolls, Haven Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US12/041,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.41, 705/15, 705/26, 705/39, 705/40, 705/64, 707/200, 221/150.R, 235/280, 709/203, 709/218, 709/220
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system for implementing a loyalty program includes a personal terminal, an interaction terminal, and a loyalty module. The personal terminal may be associated with a user. The interaction terminal may be associated with a product or service. The interaction terminal and the personal terminal may be operable to establish a communication when in proximity of each other. The loyalty module may be operable to provide a benefit to the user in response to the communication. The benefit may be provided without regard to whether the user obtained or purchased the product or service.

Claims

1. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal comprising a housing sized and shaped to be carried by a user;

a first interaction terminal physically attached to a first product, the first interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the first interaction terminal;

a second interaction terminal physically attached to a second product, the second interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the second interaction terminal; and

a loyalty module that provides a benefit to the user in response to the communication between the personal terminal and one of the second and first interaction terminals, the benefit provided to reward the user for transporting the personal terminal within physical proximity of one of the first and second products without regard to whether the user purchases the product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal terminal comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader device and one of the first and second interaction terminals comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal terminal communicates with one of the first and second interaction terminals using infrared signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second products is a beverage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises at least one of the following:

a loyalty point, a monetary value, and a credit toward at least a portion of the product or a service.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a loyalty server, wherein:

the loyalty server comprises an account associated with the user; and

the loyalty module stores an indication of the benefit in the account of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the loyalty server further comprises a user interface, the user interface receiving an instruction to redeem the benefit from the user.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the personal terminal communicates with the loyalty server over a network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the loyalty module varies the benefit based on a pre-defined criteria, the pre-defined criteria being at least one of the following:

time, location, product, brand, frequency, quantity, and price.

10. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal comprising a housing sized and shaped to be carried by a user;

an first interaction terminal physically attached to or operationally integrated with a first product device, the first product device providing a product or service, the first interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the first interaction terminal;

an second interaction terminal physically attached to or operationally integrated with a second product device, the second product device providing a product or service, the second interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the second interaction terminal; and

a loyalty module that provides a benefit to the user in response to the communication between the personal terminal and one of the first and second interaction terminals, the benefit provided to reward the user for transporting the personal terminal within physical proximity of one of the first and second product devices without regard to whether one of the first and second product devices facilitated access to one of the first and second products or services.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein one of the first and second product devices that provides one of the first and second products or services comprises one of the following:

a vending machine, a product dispenser, a fountain machine, and a cooler.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the loyalty module authorizes a transaction at one of the first and second, product devices.

13. A system for implementing a loyalty program, the system comprising:

a personal terminal comprising a housing sized and shaped to be carried by a user;

an first interaction terminal physically attached to or operationally integrated with a first transaction device, the first transaction device receiving payment for a product or service, the first interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the first interaction terminal;

an second interaction terminal physically attached to or operationally integrated with a second transaction device, the second transaction device receiving payment for a product or service, the second interaction terminal and the personal terminal establishing a communication when the personal terminal is transported within physical proximity of the second interaction terminal; and

a loyalty module that provides a benefit to the user in response to the communication between the personal terminal and one of the first and second interaction terminals, the benefit provided to reward the user for transporting the personal terminal within physical proximity of one of the first and second transaction devices without regard to whether one of the first and second transaction devices received payment for the product or service.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the first and second transaction devices comprises one of the following:

a vending machine, cash register, a credit card machine, a debit card machine, a cash acceptance device, a cash transaction device, a cashless transaction device, an automatic teller machine, a point-of-sale terminal, a computer system, a website, and a property management system.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the loyalty module transmits a payment instruction to one of the first and second transaction devices.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the payment instruction comprises at least one of the following:

a debit from an accrued loyalty reward balance, a debit from a pre-paid cash balance, a credit card number, and a debit card number.

17. A system for providing a benefit to a user, the system comprising:

a first interaction terminal physically mounted to a first product device;

a second interaction terminal operationally integrated with a second product device;

a personal terminal comprising a housing sized and shaped to be carried by the user, the personal terminal and the first interaction terminal establishing a first communication when in physical proximity of each other, and the personal terminal and the second interaction terminal establishing a second communication when in physical proximity of each other; and

a loyalty module that provides a benefit to the user, the loyalty module providing the benefit in response to one of the first and second communications.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the loyalty module transmits a payment instruction to the second device via the second interaction terminal.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a loyalty server, wherein:

the loyalty server comprises an account associated with the user; and

the loyalty module stores an indication of the benefit in the account of the user.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the loyalty server further comprises a user interface, the user interface receiving an instruction to redeem the benefit from the user.