Store solutions

• US 8,789,749 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Besecker, Bret Joseph, Ramachandran, Anantha Narayanan, Parsons, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US13/920,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/375, 235/472.03, 235/376, 705/27
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods that time correlate input at a point of entry of consumer data of least two identifications for products, prescriptions, vouchers, or codes, uses positive correlation determinations for triggering output of predetermined information. The time correlation of identifications may be used to build a time correlation database, and thereafter use that database for targeted communications. Related inventions include an intelligent Y cable or the like to filter data transmitted from a scanner at a point of entry of consumer data, and a novel POS CS configured to receive bar codes that would otherwise cause the POS CS to enter an error condition.

Claims

1. A method of correlating information received in relation to purchase transactions and providing promotions based on the correlated information, the method being implemented by one or more processors programmed with computer program instructions, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an item identification that identifies an item related to a purchase transaction, wherein the item identification is associated with a first time of receipt;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a communication from a mobile device in relation to the purchase transaction;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a mobile device identification that identifies the mobile device based on the communication, wherein the mobile device identification is associated with a second time of receipt;

determining, by the one or more processors, that a difference between the first time of receipt and the second time of receipt is within a predefined time window;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the item identification and the mobile device identification are associated with the purchase transaction based on the determination that the difference between the first time of receipt and the second time of receipt is within the predefined time window;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a promotion based on the purchase transaction; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the promotion to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors to a computing device at a retailer, a voucher identification that identifies a voucher that is related to the promotion and when received from the mobile device causes the promotion to be provided to the mobile device, wherein receipt of the voucher identification from the mobile device indicates an interest by a user of the mobile device to receive the promotion,

wherein receiving the communication from the mobile device comprises receiving the voucher identification from the mobile device such that the promotion is provided based on the received voucher identification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the voucher identification is associated with:

(i) the item identification, and (ii) a promotion identification that identifies the promotion, and wherein identifying the promotion based on the purchase transaction comprises identifying the promotion based on the association between the voucher identification and the item identification and the association between the voucher identification and the promotion identification.

4. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, a third time of receipt of the voucher identification; and

determining, by the one or more processors, whether the voucher identification was received within a predetermined time of receipt of the first time of receipt of the item identification, wherein the promotion is provided to the mobile device based on a determination that the voucher identification was received within the predetermined time of receipt of the first time of receipt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the item identification is received prior to an end of transaction signal being generated at a retail point of sale.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

causing, by the one or more processors, an association between the item identification and the mobile device identification to be stored in a time correlation database based on the determination, wherein the time correlation database correlates a plurality of mobile device identifications including the mobile device identification and a plurality of item identifications including the item identification to indicate purchases of items made in relation to a plurality of mobile devices; and

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more subsequent promotions to be delivered to the plurality of mobile devices based on the time correlation database.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a retailer identification related to the purchase transaction, wherein the retailer identification identifies a retailer that is associated with the purchase transaction;

associating, by the one or more processors, the retailer identification, the item identification, and the mobile device identification such that purchase transactions associated with the mobile device at the retailer is known; and

targeting, by the one or more processors, a subsequent promotion for the mobile device based on the purchase transactions associated with the mobile device at the retailer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon identified by a coupon identification, the method further comprising:

causing, by the one or more processors, an association of the coupon identification and the mobile device identification to be stored; and

identifying, by the one or more processors, a subsequent promotion based on the association of the coupon identification and the mobile device identification.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the voucher identification further comprises providing an electronic address at which the mobile device may return back the voucher identification to indicate the interest by the user of the mobile device to receive the promotion, and wherein the voucher identification is received from the mobile device via the electronic address.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic address comprises an address used to receive a text message from the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon that is identified by a coupon identification that is separate from and associated with the voucher identification.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device identification comprises a telephone number of the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a second item identification that identifies a second item, wherein the second item identification is associated with a third time of receipt;

receiving a second mobile device identification that identifies a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device identification is associated with a fourth time of receipt;

determining that the second item identification and the second mobile device identification are associated with a second purchase transaction separate from the first purchase transaction based on the third time of receipt and the fourth time of receipt; and

identifying a second promotion to be provided to the second mobile device based on the second purchase transaction.

22. The method of claim 21, the method further comprising:

determining which one of the first mobile device or the second mobile device is to receive a subsequent promotion based on one or more targeting rules used to identify a given mobile device that is to receive the subsequent promotion.

9. A system of correlating information received in relation to purchase transactions and providing promotions based on the correlated information, the system comprising:

one or more processors programmed by computer program instructions to;

receive an item identification that identifies an item related to a purchase transaction, wherein the item identification is associated with a first time of receipt;

receive a communication from a mobile device in relation to the purchase transaction;

identify a mobile device identification that identifies the mobile device based on the communication, wherein the mobile device identification is associated with a second time of receipt;

determine that a difference between the first time of receipt and the second time of receipt is within a predefined time window;

determine that the item identification and the mobile device identification are associated with the purchase transaction based on the determination that the difference between the first time of receipt and the second time of receipt is within the predefined time window;

identify a promotion based on the purchase transaction; and

provide the promotion to the mobile device.

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

provide to a computing device at a retailer, a voucher identification that identifies a voucher that is related to the promotion and when received from the mobile device causes the promotion to be provided to the mobile device, wherein receipt of the voucher identification from the mobile device indicates an interest by a user of the mobile device to receive the promotion,

wherein the communication from the mobile device includes the voucher identification from the mobile device such that the promotion is provided based on the received voucher identification.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the voucher identification is associated with:

(i) the item identification, and (ii) a promotion identification that identifies the promotion, and wherein identifying the promotion based on the purchase transaction comprises identifying the promotion based on the association between the voucher identification and the item identification and the association between the voucher identification and the promotion identification.

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

determine a third time of receipt of the voucher identification; and

determine whether the voucher identification was received within a predetermined time of receipt of the first time of receipt of the item identification, wherein the promotion is provided to the mobile device based on a determination that the voucher identification was received within the predetermined time of receipt of the first time of receipt.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the item identification is received prior to an end of transaction signal being generated at a retail point of sale.

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

cause an association between the item identification and the mobile device identification to be stored in a time correlation database based on the determination, wherein the time correlation database correlates a plurality of mobile device identifications including the mobile device identification and a plurality of item identifications including the item identification to indicate purchases of items made in relation to a plurality of mobile devices; and

provide one or more subsequent promotions to be delivered to the plurality of mobile devices based on the time correlation database.

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

receive a retailer identification related to the purchase transaction, wherein the retailer identification identifies a retailer that is associated with the purchase transaction;

associate the retailer identification, the item identification, and the mobile device identification such that purchase transactions associated with the mobile device at the retailer is known; and

target a subsequent promotion for the mobile device based on the purchase transactions associated with the mobile device at the retailer.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon identified by a coupon identification, and wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

cause an association of the coupon identification and the mobile device identification to be stored; and

identify a subsequent promotion based on the association of the coupon identification and the mobile device identification.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to provide an electronic address at which the mobile device may return back the voucher identification to indicate the interest by the user of the mobile device to receive the promotion, and wherein the voucher identification is received from the mobile device via the electronic address.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic address comprises an address used to receive a text message from the mobile device.

25. The system of claim 10, wherein the promotion comprises a coupon that is identified by a coupon identification that is separate from and associated with the voucher identification.

26. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile device identification comprises a telephone number of the mobile device.

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

receive a second item identification that identifies a second item, wherein the second item identification is associated with a third time of receipt;

receive a second mobile device identification that identifies a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device identification is associated with a fourth time of receipt;

determine that the second item identification and the second mobile device identification are associated with a second purchase transaction separate from the first purchase transaction based on the third time of receipt and the fourth time of receipt; and

identify a second promotion to be provided to the second mobile device based on the second purchase transaction.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to:

determine which one of the first mobile device or the second mobile device is to receive a subsequent promotion based on one or more targeting rules used to identify a given mobile device that is to receive the subsequent promotion.