Automated determination of applicability and value of discounts for a purchase order

• US 8,788,330 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leffert, Jonathan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dagnew, Saba
• Application Number:
  US13/560,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.13
• US Class Current: 705/14.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method for automatically determining applicability and value of any discounts for a purchase order from a client computer, the determinations being made by the client computer itself. In some embodiments, the client computer receives (from a server to which the order is being placed) coupon programming, determines applicability and value of discounts using the coupon programming, and sends discount information for an order to the server. The coupon programming may comprise a rule engine, implemented by rule programming, having one or more sets of rules and a processing relationship between the sets of rules and the rules in each set of rules. The rule engine may comprise a recursive rule program. In some embodiments, the applicability and value of any discounts for an order is determined by a server that receives the order, the determinations being made by using a rule engine implemented by rule programming.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

sending a recursive engine to a client device, wherein the recursive rules engine comprises a set of discount rules configured automatically determining a purchase order discount from a coupon code when a purchase order is made and when a purchase order is modified, and wherein execution of the recursive rules engine comprises;

recursively evaluating a first set of rules for determining an applicability of the purchase order discount;

recursively evaluating a second set of rules for determining a discount value relating to an applicable discount;

recursively evaluating the first set of rules and the second set of rules by performing an automatic process that recursively calls itself;

receiving a purchase order placed by a user of the client device along with a coupon code;

receiving the purchase order discount from the client device for the purchase order as automatically determined by the inks engine upon placement of a purchase order;

relying on the determination of the rules engine;

applying the discount without independently determining the purchase order discount; and

processing the purchase order along with the purchase order discount.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the purchase order discount comprises a discount type and a discount value relating to the discount type for the purchase order.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending product information to the client device, add wherein the purchase order comprises an instruction to order a product described in the product information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the discount rules are further configured for determining a total discount value for a plurality of applicable discount types, the method further comprising executing the discount rules to automatically determine the told discount value associated with the purchase order.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the set of discount rules comprises a primary set of rules and a secondary set of rules;

said primary set of rules used to determine applicability of the discount type; and

said secondary set of rules used to determine a discount value for the discount type, the secondary set of rules being called for processing if the discount typo is determined to be applicable.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein:

a rule in the set of rules comprises an antecedent and an inference, the inference being determined if the antecedent is determined as true;

an inference is a numerical value or a set of rules; and

the rule engine recursively evaluates rules in the primary set of rules to determine inferences until an inference that is a numerical value indicating an applicable discount type is found.

7. the computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein:

a rule in the set of rules comprises an antecedent and an inference, die inference being determined if the antecedent determined as true;

an interference is a numerical value or a set of rules; and

the rule engine recursively evaluates rules in the secondary set of rules to determine inferences until an inference that is numerical value indicating a discount value for an applicable discount type is found.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a medium configured to store computer-readable instructions thereon; and

the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by is processing device cause the processing device to perform a method, comprising;

sending a recursive rules engine to a client device, wherein the rules engine comprises a set of discount rules configured for automatically de fining a purchase order discount from a coupon code when a purchase order is made and when a purchase order is modified, and wherein execution of the rules engine comprises;

recursively evaluating the first set of rules for determining an applicability of the purchase order discount;

recursively evaluating a second set of rules for determining a discount value relating to an applicable discount;

recursively evaluating the first set of rules and the second set of rules by performing an automatic process that recursively calls itself;

receiving a purchase order placed by a user of the client device along with a coupon code;

receiving the purchase order discount from the client device for the purchase order as automatically determined by the rules engine upon placement of a purchase order;

relying on the determination of the rules engine;

applying the discount without independently determining the purchase order discount; and

processing the purchase order along with purchase order discount.

9. The not computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the purchase order discount comprises a discount type and a discoing value relating to the discount type for the purchase order.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the step of sending product information to the client device, and wherein the purchase order comprises an instruction to order a product described in the product information.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the discount rules are further configured for determining a total discount value for a plurality of applicable discount types, wherein the instructions further causing the processing device to perform the step of executing the discount rules to automatically determine the total discount value associated with the purchase order.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the set of discount rules comprises a primary set of rules and a secondary set of rules;

said primary set of rules used to determine applicability of the discount type; and

said secondary set of rules used to determine a discount value for the discount type, the secondary set of rules being called for processing if the discount type is determined to be applicable.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

a in the of rules comprises an antecedent and an inference, the inference being determined if the antecedent is determined as true;

an inference is a numerical value or a set of rules; and

the rule engine recursively evaluates rules in the primary set of rules to determine inferences until an inference that is a numerical value indicating an applicable discount type is found.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

a rule in the set of rules comprises an antecedent and an inference, the inference being determined if the antecedent is determined as true;

an inference is a numerical value or a set of rules; and

the rule engine recursively evaluates rules in the secondary set of rules to determine inferences until an inference that is numerical value indicating a discount value for an applicable discount type is found.

15. A system comprising:

a server;

a plurality of provider computers operatively coupled with the server and offering products for sale via the server;

a plurality of client devices operatively coupled with the server,

wherein the server is configured to;

send a reclusive rules engine to a client device from the plurality of client devices, wherein the rules engine comprises a set of discount rules configured for automatically determining a purchase order discount from a coupon code when a purchase order is made and when a purchase order is modified, and wherein execution of the rules engine comprises;

recursively evaluate a first set of rules for determining an applicability of the purchase order discount;

recursively evaluate second set of rules for determining a discount value relating to an applicable discount;

recursively evaluate the first set of rules and the second set of rules by performing an automatic process that recursively calls itself;

receive a purchase order placed by a user of the client device along with a coupon code;

receive the purchase order discount from the client device for the purchase order as automatically determined by the rules engine upon placement of a purchase order;

applying the discount for the purchase order without independently determining the discount;

relying on the determination of the rules engine;

apply the discount without independently determining the purchase order discount; and

process the purchase order along with the purchase order discount.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is further configured to receive product information from a provider computer and send product information to the client device, and wherein the purchase order comprises an instruction to order a product described in the product information.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the discount rules are further configured for determining a total discount value for a plurality of applicable discount types, wherein the discount rules are configured for executing the discount rules to automatically determine the total discount value associated with the purchase order.