Intelligent clearing network

• US 8,386,309 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Thibedeau, Richard B., Schulte, Brian, Skelton, Michael, Oakley, Gary, Robertson, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN BRAMER, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US12/587,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.38, 705/14.1, 705/14.11, 705/14.39, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system for validating, redeeming, and financially settling paper coupons coded with a GS1 barcode and 8110 Application Identifier comprises a real time network through which a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicates directly to, or through a POS controller, with an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server. One or both of the POS terminal and POS controller are installed with a ICN POS data bridge which stores computer code. The ICN server is configured to run a real time application while in communication with the POS terminal, wherein the POS terminal transmits paper coupon data elements read from the GS1 barcode and other consumer transaction information including universal product codes purchased, and transaction details to the ICN server via the network.

Claims

1. A method for processing coupons, comprising:

scanning, at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal located at a retail store, coupon information of a coupon;

determining data elements comprising product code information of an item to be purchased and the coupon information of the coupon;

transmitting the data elements through a network to an intelligent clearing network (ICN) server for validation and redemption, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

validating, at the ICN server, the coupon information based at least in part on the product code information;

in response to validating the data elements at the ICN server, transmitting first coupon related information through the network to the POS terminal,

in response to successful redemption of the coupon, transmitting redeemed coupon related information to the ICN server through the network,

wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased, an application identifier, and retailer identification information;

in response to receiving the redeemed coupon related information, storing, by the ICN server, the redeemed coupon related information in a redeemed coupon database;

generating a coupon audit report based on the redeemed coupon database;

transmitting the coupon audit report to a manufacturer; and

in response to receiving approval for at least a portion of the coupon audit report, debiting a bank account assigned to the manufacturer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved and crediting a bank account assigned to the retailer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved.

2. The method as in claim 1, whereby the coupon comprises a GS1 barcode.

3. The method as in claim 1, whereby the coupon is a paper coupon and the data elements of a GS1 databar printed on the paper coupon include a manufacturer offer code (MOC) which ties to a budget for electronically clearing and financially settling before the paper coupon is removed from circulation.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising validating, at the ICN server, an expiration date of the coupon information.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the coupon comprises an 8110 application identifier.

6. The method as in claim 1, where validating the coupon information comprises validating at least one of:

a family code, a value, a manufacture offer code, purchase requirements, an expiration date, and a unique serial number of the coupon in real time.

7. The method as in claim 1, where the coupon audit report provides detailed and summary information by individual store and date.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises information regarding a consumer'"'"'s transaction at the POS terminal including at least one of date, time, store, lane, total dollar amount spent, customer ID and universal product codes.

9. The method as in claim 1, where the ICN server is configured to communicate with a plurality of POS terminals.

10. The method as in claim 1, where the redeemed coupon database comprises redeemed coupon related information from a plurality of retailer stores.

11. The method as in claim 1, where validating the coupon information comprises:

determining whether a current date exceeds an expiration date assigned to the coupon in a master coupon table,

determining whether a family code indicated in the coupon information does not match a family code of the product code information,

determining whether a value indicated in the coupon information does not match a value assigned to the coupon in the master coupon table,

determining whether a manufacture offer code (MOC) indicated in the coupon information does not match a MOC assigned to the coupon in the master coupon table, and

determining whether the coupon has been previously redeemed,

where the coupon information is determined to be not valid in response to at least one of;

determining that the current date exceeds the expiration date assigned to the coupon in the master coupon table,

determining that the value indicated in the coupon information does not match the value assigned to the coupon in the master coupon table,

determining that the manufacture offer code (MOC) indicated in the coupon information does not match the MOC assigned to the coupon in the master coupon table, and

determining that the coupon has been previously redeemed.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the coupon information is not valid, sending, from the ICN server to the POS terminal, a message instructing the POS terminal to reject the invalid coupon.

13. The method as in claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the coupon information is not valid, writing an invalid coupon redemption attempt and transaction detail data to a database.

14. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring volume and traffic of redeemed coupons; and

identifying abnormalities indicative of attempted fraudulent coupon redemption based on the monitored volume and traffic.

15. The method of claim 1, where validating the coupon information comprises:

comparing the coupon information to coupon information defined in a master coupon table; and

in response to determining that the coupon information is not valid based on the comparison, instructing the POS terminal to not redeem the coupon.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the ICN server, whether the item to be purchased meets purchase requirements of the coupon based at least in part on the product code information of the item to be purchased; and

informing the POS terminal whether the paper coupon purchase requirements have been met.

17. An intelligent clearing network (ICN) server for processing coupons, comprising a processor and a computer readable memory storing computer code, where execution of the computer code by the processor causes the ICN server to perform actions comprising:

receiving data elements through a network from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a retailer for validation and redemption, the data elements including product code information of an item to be purchased at the POS terminal and coupon information of a coupon, where the coupon is scanned at the POS terminal located at a retail store, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

validating, at the ICN server, the coupon information based at least in part on the product code information;

in response to validating the data elements at the ICN server, transmitting first coupon related information through the network to the POS terminal,

in response to successful redemption of the coupon, receiving redeemed coupon related information, wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased, an application identifier, and retailer identification information;

in response to receiving the redeemed coupon related information, storing, by the ICN server, the redeemed coupon related information in a redeemed coupon database;

generating a coupon audit report based on the redeemed coupon database;

transmitting the coupon audit report to a manufacturer; and

in response to receiving approval for at least a portion of the coupon audit report, debiting a bank account assigned to the manufacturer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved and crediting a bank account assigned to the retailer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved.

18. The ICN server as in claim 17, whereby the coupon comprises a GS1 barcode.

19. The ICN server as in claim 17, whereby the coupon is a paper coupon and the data elements of a GS1 databar printed on the paper coupon include a manufacturer offer code (MOC) which ties to a budget for electronically clearing and financially settling before the paper coupon is removed from circulation.

20. A ICN server as in claim 17, where the actions further comprise validating, at the ICN server, an expiration date of the coupon information.

21. The ICN server as in claim 17, wherein the coupon comprises an 8110 application identifier.

22. The ICN server as in claim 17, where validating the coupon information comprises validating at least one of:

a family code, a value, a manufacture offer code, purchase requirements, an expiration date, and a unique serial number of the coupon in real time.

23. The ICN server as in claim 17, where the coupon audit report provides detailed and summary information by individual store and date.

24. The ICN server as in claim 17, wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises information regarding a consumer'"'"'s transaction at the POS terminal including at least one of date, time, store, lane, total dollar amount spent, customer ID and universal product codes.

25. The ICN server as in claim 17, where the ICN server is configured to communicate with a plurality of POS terminals.

26. The ICN server as in claim 17, where the redeemed coupon database comprises redeemed coupon related information from a plurality of retailer stores.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer code for processing coupons, where execution of the computer code by a processor causes the processor to perform action comprising:

receiving data elements through a network from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a retailer for validation and redemption, the data elements including product code information of an item to be purchased at the POS terminal and coupon information of a coupon, where the coupon is scanned at the POS terminal located at a retail store, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

validating, at the ICN server, the coupon information based at least in part on the product code information;

in response to validating the data elements at the ICN server, transmitting first coupon related information through the network to the POS terminal,

in response to successful redemption of the coupon, receiving redeemed coupon related information, wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased, an application identifier, and retailer identification information;

in response to receiving the redeemed coupon related information, storing, by the ICN server, the redeemed coupon related information in a redeemed coupon database;

generating a coupon audit report based on the redeemed coupon database;

transmitting the coupon audit report to a manufacturer; and

in response to receiving approval for at least a portion of the coupon audit report, debiting a bank account assigned to the manufacturer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved and crediting a bank account assigned to the retailer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved.

28. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, whereby the coupon comprises a GS1 barcode.

29. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, whereby the coupon is a paper coupon and the data elements of a GS1 databar printed on the paper coupon include a manufacturer offer code (MOC) which ties to a budget for electronically clearing and financially settling before the paper coupon is removed from circulation.

30. A computer readable medium as in claim 27, where the actions further comprise validating, at the ICN server, an expiration date of the coupon information.

31. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the coupon comprises an 8110 application identifier.

32. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, where validating the coupon information comprises validating at least one of a family code, a value, a manufacture offer code, purchase requirements, an expiration date, and a unique serial number of the coupon in real time.

33. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, where the coupon audit report provides detailed and summary information by individual store and date.

34. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises information regarding a consumer'"'"'s transaction at the POS terminal including at least one of date, time, store, lane, total dollar amount spent, customer ID and universal product codes.

35. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, where the ICN server is configured to communicate with a plurality of POS terminals.

36. The computer readable medium as in claim 27, where the redeemed coupon database comprises redeemed coupon related information from a plurality of retailer stores.

37. A method for processing coupons, comprising:

scanning, at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal located at a retail store, data elements, the data elements comprising product code information of an item to be purchased and coupon information of a coupon, where the coupon comprises a GS1 barcode comprising a manufacturer offer code (MOC), the MOC ties to a budget for financially settling the coupon;

transmitting the data elements through a network from the POS terminal to an intelligent clearing network (ICN) server for validation and redemption, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

validating, at the ICN server, the coupon information based at least in part on the product code information;

in response to validating the data elements at the ICN server, transmitting first coupon related information through the network to the POS terminal,

in response to successful redemption of the coupon, transmitting redeemed coupon related information to the ICN server through the network,

wherein the redeemed coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased, an application identifier, and retailer identification information;

in response to receiving the redeemed coupon related information, storing, by the ICN server, the redeemed coupon related information in a redeemed coupon database;

generating a coupon audit report based on the redeemed coupon database;

transmitting the coupon audit report to a manufacturer; and

in response to receiving approval for at least a portion of the coupon audit report, debiting a budget assigned to the manufacturer and identified by the MOC based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved and crediting a bank account assigned to the retailer based on the portion of the coupon audit report that was approved.

38. The method as in claim 37, where the GS1 barcode further comprises a family code, a value, purchase requirements, an expiration date and a unique serial number of the coupon.

39. The method as in claim 37, where the ICN server is configured to communicate with a plurality of POS terminals.