Method and system for generating certificates having unique ID data

• US 8,744,907 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, Gregory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US13/925,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.26, 705/14.35, 705/14.36, 705/14.39, 705/14.56, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users'"'"' homes are disclosed. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user'"'"'s computer. A coupon generated by the system and method of the present invention comprises an encoded area that consists essentially of a unique Coupon Id. The unique Coupon Id is also recorded in a database comprising a plurality of data tables. At least one of the data tables associates each Coupon Id with one or more of a Promotion Id and a Consumer Id. Preferably, the Print Id is also associated in a data table with a Session Id and information regarding the date/time of printing. The Ids other than the Coupon Id may not be printed on the coupon.

Claims

1. A system for printing promotions for users, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions to;

receive an input for a request for a promotion to be printed; and

a printing device configured to;

print a promotion with a Unique Identification (“

ID”

) encoded on the printed promotion, wherein the Unique ID is associated with least a Promotion ID, a Session ID, and a Consumer ID, wherein the Promotion ID and Consumer ID are not printed on the printed promotion, and wherein the printed promotion is targeted for a user based at least on Session ID information relating to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the Promotion ID comprises information about the promotion including one or more of an item description, incentive description and issuer description.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the Consumer ID comprises information about a consumer including information about the consumer'"'"'s demographic data.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the Promotion ID comprises information about the promotion including one or more of an item description, incentive description and issuer description and the Consumer ID comprises information about a consumer including information about the consumer'"'"'s demographic data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the Unique ID is associated with a Date/Time ID.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the Session ID information comprises information regarding the session during which the promotion was requested.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the Date/Time ID comprises information regarding the date and time when the promotion was generated or printed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive information regarding the redemption of the promotion and storing that information into the database in association with the Unique ID.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

determine whether the promotion is valid.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive a request from a point of service and generate validity information to the point of service.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the request is received over the Internet and provided to the point of service over the Internet.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive a request from a redemption facility and provide validity information to the redemption facility.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the request is received over the Internet and provided to the redemption facility over the Internet.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

receive a request from a web site at which the promotion is being offered and provide validity information to the web site.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the request and validity information are transferred over the Internet.

17. A method of printing promotions for users, the method being implemented on a computing device comprising one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions to, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an input for a request for a promotion to be printed; and

printing, by a printing device, a promotion with a Unique Identification (“

ID”

) encoded on the printed promotion, wherein the Unique ID is associated with least a Promotion ID, a Session ID, and a Consumer ID, wherein the Promotion ID and Consumer ID are not printed on the printed promotion, and wherein the printed promotion is targeted for a user based at least on Session ID information relating to the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the Promotion ID comprises information about the promotion including one or more of an item description, incentive description and issuer description.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the Consumer ID comprises information about a consumer including information about the consumer'"'"'s demographic data.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the Promotion ID comprises information about the promotion including one or more of an item description, incentive description and issuer description and the Consumer ID comprises information about a consumer including information about the consumer'"'"'s demographic data.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the Unique ID is associated with a Date/Time ID.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the Session ID information comprises information regarding the session during which the promotion was requested.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the Date/Time ID comprises information regarding the date and time when the promotion was generated or printed.

25. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, information regarding the redemption of the promotion and storing that information into the database in association with the Unique ID.

26. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, whether the promotion is valid.

27. The method of claim 26, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request from a point of service and providing validity information to the point of service.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the request is received over the Internet and provided to the point of service over the Internet.

29. The method of claim 26, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request from a redemption facility and providing validity information to the redemption facility.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the request is received over the Internet and provided to the redemption facility over the Internet.

31. The method of claim 26, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a request from a web site at which the promotion is being offered and providing validity information to the web site.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the request and validity information are transferred over the Internet.

33. A system of targeting promotions for users, the system comprising:

one or more processors programmed with computer program instructions to;

receive a request for a promotion; and

generate print instructions that cause a promotion to be printed with a Unique Identification (“

ID”

) responsive to the request, wherein the Unique ID is associated with least a Promotion ID, a Session ID, and a Consumer ID, wherein the Promotion ID and the Consumer ID are not to be printed on the printed promotion, and wherein the printed promotion is targeted for a user based at least on Session ID information related to the user.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the Session ID information comprises information that indicates a time when the user is online.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the Session ID information comprises information that indicates a location from which the user selects the promotion to be redeemed.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon.