Apparatus and methods for enforcing purchase agreements

• US 8,434,681 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Jorasch, James A., Breitenbach, Matthew D., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Suarez, Jose A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/251,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/379, 235/381, 235/380, 235/382, 235/385, 705/14
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture and methods are provided for establishing (e.g., online) a buyer price for a first plurality of products. In one embodiment, the buyer price is lower than a retail price of the first plurality of products. A second plurality of products that the buyer has actually received during the subsequent transaction is determined. A penalty may be assessed if the first plurality of products does not correspond to the second plurality of products.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that when executed by a processing device result in:

establishing a buyer price for a first product, the buyer price being different than a retail price of the first product;

establishing a redemption code which identifies the buyer price and the first product;

charging a financial account for the buyer price; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code is received in connection with a purchase that does not include the first product.

2. A method, comprising:

offering, by a controller device, a benefit to a customer in exchange for the customer agreeing to purchase at least one first particular product from a retailer;

receiving, by the controller device and from the retailer, an indication of at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer; and

determining, by the controller device, whether the at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer matches the at least one first particular product that the customer agreed to purchase from the retailer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

revoking, by the controller device and in the case that the determining results in a determination that the at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer does not match the at least one first particular product that the customer agreed to purchase from the retailer, the offer for the benefit offered to the customer.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adjusting, by the controller device and in the case that the determining results in a determination that the at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer does not match the at least one first particular product that the customer agreed to purchase from the retailer, the offer for the benefit offered to the customer.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing, by the controller device and in the case that the determining results in a determination that the at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer matches the at least one first particular product that the customer agreed to purchase from the retailer, the benefit to the customer.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a controller device and from a customer via a website, a request to obtain a price for a product;

providing, by the controller device and to the customer via the website, an indication of the price for the product;

receiving, by the controller device and from a POS device of a retailer, an indication of at least one product purchased by the customer from the retailer;

determining, by the controller device, whether the at least one second particular product actually purchased by the customer from the retailer matches the at least one first particular product that the customer agreed to purchase from the retailer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing of the indication of the price is conducted in response to the receiving of the request for the price.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving of the indication of the at least one product purchased by the customer from the retailer is conducted after the providing.