Intelligent coupon network

• US 9,070,133 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Coupon Network LLC
• Inventors: Thibedeau, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN BRAMER, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US11/439,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,325 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.38, 705/14.1, 705/14.11, 705/14.39, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A system for redeeming coupons comprises a network; a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicatively coupled to the network; a server communicatively coupled to the POS terminal; wherein the POS terminal transmits first coupon information from a coupon card read at the POS terminal to the server via the network.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to perform operations for processing coupons across a network, the operations comprising:

receiving, at a coupon processing server, a unique account identifier from a first point of sale terminal via a network, where the coupon processing server is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals, where the unique account identifier was scanned at the first point-of-sale terminal which is located at a retail store and where the coupon processing server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to receiving the unique account identifier, determining whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in a database of accounts;

in response to determining that at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, transmitting, from the coupon processing server, an indication of the at least one valid coupon to the first point of sale terminal via the network, wherein the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

in response to receiving, at the coupon processing server from the first point of sale terminal, an indication of at least one redeemed coupon, updating the database of accounts and transmitting, from the coupon processing server to a manufacturer associated with the at least one redeemed coupon, an indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed against a purchased transaction,

where the at least one redeemed coupon is at least one of the at least one valid coupon.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion and

the indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed comprises the second coupon code portion.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the first coupon code portion comprises one of:

a GS1 EAN/UPC Type 5 barcode, a GS1 128 barcode, and a GS1 Databar barcode and

where the second coupon code portion comprises a manufacture offer code.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the indication of at least one redeemed coupon further comprises purchase transaction information, where the purchase transaction information comprises at least one of an identification of a product purchased, a time of the purchase transaction and a location of the purchase transaction.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, where the indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed further comprises the purchase transaction information.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the operations further comprise monitoring at least volume and traffic of redeemed coupons to identify abnormalities and to prevent coupon counterfeiting.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where determining whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts comprises:

determining whether at least one associated coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, and

for each associated coupon of the at least one associated coupon, determining whether the associated coupon has been previously redeemed and determining whether the associated coupon has expired,

where the associated coupon is determined to be a valid coupon in response to both determining that the associated coupon has not been previously redeemed and determining that the associated coupon has not expired.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where updating the database of accounts comprises deactivating the at least one redeemed coupon.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the operations further comprise, in response to determining that no valid coupons are associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, transmitting, from the coupon processing server, a “

no coupons available”

message to the first point of sale terminal via the network.

11. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to perform operations for processing coupons across a network, the operations comprising:

scanning, at a point-of-sale terminal located at a retail store, a unique account identifier;

during a purchase transaction, transmitting, from the point of sale terminal, the unique account identifier to a coupon processing server via a network, where the coupon processing server is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals and where the coupon processing server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to transmitting the unique account identifier, receiving, at the point of sale terminal, an indication of whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier from the coupon processing server via the network, where a valid coupon is a coupon that has been validated by the coupon processing server and the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

in response to receiving the indication that the at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier, the point of sale terminal completing the purchase transaction by validation of the at least one valid coupon against the purchased transaction; and

in response to the purchase transaction comprising a redemption of at least one of the at least one valid coupon, transmitting, from the point of sale terminal to the coupon processing server, an indication of the at least one redeemed coupon.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, where an indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, where the first coupon code portion comprises one of:

a GS1 EAN/UPC Type 5 barcode, a GS1 128 barcode, and a GS1 Databar barcode and

where the second coupon code portion comprises a manufacture offer code.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, where, when at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier, the indication of whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier comprises an indication of the at least one valid coupon.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, where the indication of at least one redeemed coupon further comprises purchase transaction information, where the purchase transaction information comprises at least one of:

an identification of a product purchased, a time of the purchase transaction and a location of the purchase transaction.

17. An apparatus, comprising a processor and a memory storing software, the processor is configured to, when executing the software, cause the apparatus to perform operations, the operations comprising:

to receive a unique account identifier from a first point of sale terminal via a network, where the apparatus is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals, where the unique account identifier was scanned at the first point-of-sale terminal which is located at a retail store and where the apparatus is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to receiving the unique account identifier, to determine whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in a database of accounts;

in response to determining that at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, to transmit an indication of the at least one valid coupon to the first point of sale terminal via the network, wherein the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

in response to receiving, from the first point of sale terminal, an indication of at least one redeemed coupon, to update the database of accounts and to transmit, to a manufacturer associated with the at least one redeemed coupon, an indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed against a purchased transaction,

where the at least one redeemed coupon is at least one of the at least one valid coupon.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, where the indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion and

the indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed comprises the second coupon code portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, where the indication of at least one redeemed coupon further comprises purchase transaction information, where the purchase transaction information comprises at least one of an identification of a product purchased, a time of the purchase transaction and a location of the purchase transaction.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, where the indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed further comprises the purchase transaction information.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, where the operations further comprise to monitor at least volume and traffic of redeemed coupons to identify abnormalities and to prevent coupon counterfeiting.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, where, when determining whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, the operations further comprise:

to determine whether at least one associated coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, and

for each associated coupon of the at least one associated coupon, to determine whether the associated coupon has been previously redeemed and to determine whether the associated coupon has expired,

where the associated coupon is determined to be a valid coupon in response to both

determining that the associated coupon has not been previously redeemed and determining that the associated coupon has not expired.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, where, when updating database of accounts, the operations further comprise to deactivate the at least one redeemed coupon.

25. An apparatus, comprising a processor and a memory storing software, the processor is configured to, when executing the software, cause the apparatus to perform operations, the operations comprising:

to scan a unique account identifier;

during a purchase transaction, to transmit the unique account identifier to a coupon processing server via a network, where the coupon processing server is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals, where the apparatus is located at a retail store and where the coupon processing server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to transmitting the unique account identifier, to receive an indication of whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier from the coupon processing server via the network, where a valid coupon is a coupon that has been validated by the coupon processing server and the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

in response to receiving at least one valid coupon at the point of sale terminal as an indication that at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier from the coupon processing server via the network, to complete the purchase transaction using the at least one valid coupon against the purchase transaction; and

in response to the purchase transaction comprising a redemption of at least one of the at least one valid coupon, to transmit, to the coupon processing server, an indication of the at least one redeemed coupon.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, where an indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, where, when at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier, the indication of whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier comprises an indication of the at least one valid coupon.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, where the indication of at least one redeemed coupon further comprises purchase transaction information, where the purchase transaction information comprises at least one of:

an identification of a product purchased, a time of the purchase transaction and a location of the purchase transaction.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

an input interface configured for receiving a unique account identifier from a first point of sale terminal via a network, where the apparatus is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals, where the unique account identifier was scanned at the first point-of-sale terminal which is located at a retail store and where the apparatus is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

a processor configured for determining whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in a database of accounts in response to receiving the unique account identifier;

an output interface configured for transmitting an indication of the at least one valid coupon to the first point of sale terminal via the network in response to determining that at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier in the database of accounts, wherein the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

a server configured for updating the database of accounts and an internet connection for transmitting, to a manufacturer associated with the at least one redeemed coupon, an indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed, in response to receiving, from the first point of sale terminal, an indication of at least one redeemed coupon against a purchased transaction,

where the at least one redeemed coupon is at least one of the at least one valid coupon.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, where the indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion and

the indication that the at least one redeemed coupon was redeemed comprises the second coupon code portion.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a first input interface configured for scanning a unique account identifier;

an output interface configured for transmitting, during a purchase transaction, the unique account identifier to a coupon processing server via a network, where the coupon processing server is configured to communicate with a plurality of point of sale terminals, where the apparatus is located at a retail store and where the coupon processing server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

a point of sale terminal configured for receiving an indication of whether at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier from the coupon processing server via the network in response to transmitting the unique account identifier, where a valid coupon is a coupon that has been validated by the coupon processing server and the indication includes the at least one valid coupon;

the point of sale terminal configured for completing the purchase transaction using the at least one valid coupon against the purchase transaction in response to receiving the indication that at least one valid coupon is associated with the unique account identifier from the coupon processing server via the network; and

the output interface configured for transmitting, to the coupon processing server, an indication of the at least one redeemed coupon in response to the purchase transaction comprising a redemption of at least one of the at least one valid coupon.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, where a valid coupon comprises a first coupon code portion and a second coupon code portion.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, where an indication of the at least one valid coupon comprises the first coupon code portion but not the second coupon code portion.