Intelligent clearing network

• US 9,098,855 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Clearing Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Thibedeau, Richard B., Schulte, Brian, Skelton, Michael, Millett, Matt, Oakley, Gary, Robertson, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN BRAMER, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US12/283,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,520 Days
• Field of Search: 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

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system for redeeming coupons, promotions, or incentives comprises a network through which a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicates, through a POS controller, with an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server. One or both of the POS terminal and POS controller are installed with POS bridge software. The ICN server is configured to run a real time software application while in communication with the POS terminal, wherein the POS terminal transmits coupon transaction information including universal product codes to the ICN server via the network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) network;

at least two point-of-sale (POS) terminals;

at least two POS controllers, where each POS controller is configured to communicate with a plurality of the at least two POS terminals; and

an ICN server configured to communicate with the at least two POS controllers,

wherein a POS terminal of the at least two POS terminals is located at a retail store and is configured to scan, at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, first coupon or incentive related information including universal product code information of an item to be purchased, and to transmit the first coupon or incentive related information at the POS terminal to a POS controller of the at least two POS controllers;

the POS controller is configured to transmit the first coupon and/or incentive related information to the ICN server via the network, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store; and

the ICN server is configured to validate the first coupon or incentive related information for redemption based at least in part on the universal product codes of items to be purchased and, in response to validating the first coupon or incentive related information, to transmit to the POS terminal, via the POS controller, second coupon or incentive related information.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the ICN server is a coupon or incentive processing server, the system further comprising a retailer'"'"'s POS controller through which the POS terminal is communicatively coupled to the ICN network and the ICN coupon or incentive processing server via ICN POS bridge software installed on the POS controller and the POS terminal.

3. The system as in claim 2, further comprising a manufacturer'"'"'s server communicatively coupled to the ICN server.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein the first coupon related information includes information regarding a consumer'"'"'s transaction at the POS terminal including at least one of date, time, store, lane, total dollar amount spent, customer ID, and universal product codes.

5. The system as in claim 3, wherein the first coupon related information comprises a control number provided through a downloaded coupon or coupon card.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first coupon or incentive related information is consumer identification information.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein the second coupon or incentive related information is GS1 coupon code.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the second coupon or incentive related information includes an application identifier, a product number system character, manufacturer offer code, expiration date, and household identifier.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein the server is coupled to a centralized database that provides second coupon or incentive related information when the server receives first coupon or incentive information.

10. The system as in claim 1, wherein the server tabulates raw data of at least one of coupon and incentive processing transactions for a manufacturer.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the server provides the tabulated data to the manufacturer in real time in the form of a report.

12. The system as in claim 1, wherein the network is the World Wide Web.

13. The system as in claim 1, wherein the network is an internet.

14. The system as in claim 1, wherein each of the at least two POS terminals transmits third coupon or incentive related information to the POS controller through the ICN POS bridge software upon successful redemption of a coupon.

15. The system as in claim 14, wherein the third coupon related information comprises identification information from the product purchased and the GS 1 coupon code of the second coupon related information and retailer identification information.

16. The system as in claim 15, the third coupon related information being used by the server to generate a report to the manufacturer whose product was purchased through redemption of the coupon code.

17. The system as in claim 1, wherein the ICN POS bridge software installed on the POS controller transmits second coupon or incentive related information to the ICN POS bridge software installed on each of the at least two POS terminals.

18. The system as in claim 1, wherein the network is a virtual private network.

19. The system as in claim 1, wherein the network is a high speed dedicated communication line.

20. The system as in claim 1, wherein the POS controller transmits third coupon related information to the ICN server through the ICN POS bridge software upon successful redemption of a coupon or incentive.

21. The system as in claim 2, wherein the ICN POS bridge software comprises a configurable software suite that is physically installed and controls POS behavior based on information sent and received to and from the ICN server.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein the POS data bridge software is configurable for each unique retailer.

23. The system as in claim 3, further comprising an originating financial institution server coupled to the retailer server.

24. The system as in claim 23, further comprising a secure file transfer protocol server which receives debit and credit information from the retailer server and provides automated clearing house processing to the originating financial institution.

25. The system as in claim 24, wherein the secure file transfer protocol server provides the processed debit and credit information to the originating financial institution.

26. The system as in claim 3, further comprising a file transfer protocol server in communication with the ICN server.

27. The system as in claim 26, wherein the redemption data stored in the ICN database is provided to the file transfer protocol server and stored in a central billing database of the file transfer protocol server.

28. The system as in claim 27, the file transfer protocol server comprising an automated clearing house processing system configured to generate reports for at least one financial institution.

29. The system as in claim 1, wherein when the universal product codes corresponding to the first coupon or incentive related information are trigger universal product codes, coupon related information corresponding to target universal product codes is transmitted by the ICN coupon or incentive processing server to the POS terminal.

30. The system as in claim 29, wherein at least one of the target universal product codes corresponds to a product that at least one of the trigger universal product codes corresponds to.

31. The system as in claim 30, wherein at least one of the target universal product codes corresponds to a product that none of the trigger universal product codes corresponds to.

32. A method for processing at least one of coupons and incentives, comprising:

scanning via a first interface, first coupon or incentive related information at a terminal located at a retail store, the first coupon or incentive related information including universal product code information of an item to be purchased;

transmitting, via a second interface, the first coupon or incentive related information through a network to a coupon or incentive processing server for validation and redemption, where the first interface is different from the second interface, and where the coupon or incentive processing server is located remotely from the retail store; and

in response to the first coupon or incentive related information being validated at the coupon or incentive processing server based at least in part on the universal product code information, receiving, via the second interface, second coupon related information through the network to the terminal, where the second coupon related information indicates whether the coupon or incentive processing server has validated the first coupon related information.

33. The method as in claim 32, further comprising, if the terminal validates the second coupon or incentive related information, redeeming a corresponding coupon or incentive and transmitting coupon or incentive redemption information to the coupon processing server.

34. The method as in claim 33, further comprising when the coupon or incentive processing server receives the coupon or incentive redemption information, deactivating the corresponding coupon or incentive.

35. The method as in claim 34, further comprising storing processed coupon information corresponding to the coupon or incentive redemption information in a database and making that information available in real time as reports to a manufacturer through a web portal.

36. The method as in claim 35, further comprising the coupon or incentive processing server transmitting processed coupon information corresponding to the coupon or incentive redemption information to a manufacturer'"'"'s server.

37. The method as in claim 36, where validating comprises biometrically identifying a user at the terminal.

38. The method as in claim 36, further comprising the retailer server transmitting debit and credit information corresponding to the redeemed coupon or incentive information to a secure file transfer protocol server.

39. The method as in claim 38, wherein the secure file transfer protocol server provides an automated clearing house processing of billing information corresponding to the debit and credit information and places the processed billing information in a file.

40. The method as in claim 39, wherein the secure file transfer protocol server transmits the file to an originating financial institution.

41. The method as in claim 35, wherein clearing the processed coupon or incentive information comprises debiting a promotion sponsor in an amount of coupons or incentives dispensed, intelligent clearing network rate, and retailer credit rate;

holding funds by the intelligent clearing network and storing clearing rate total debited from the promotion sponsor; and

crediting a retailer with a value of the coupons or incentives dispensed and a credit rate.

42. The method as in claim 35, wherein clearing the processed coupon or incentive information comprises requesting by an automated clearing house redemption data from the coupon or incentive processing server.

43. The method as in claim 42, wherein clearing the processed coupon or incentive information comprises requesting, by an automated clearing house server, redemption data from the coupon or incentive processing server.

44. The method as in claim 43, wherein the redemption data received by the automated clearing house server is reported to an originating financial institution.

45. The method as in claim 32, wherein when the universal product code corresponding to the first coupon or incentive related information is a trigger universal product code, and coupon or incentive related information corresponding to a target universal product code is transmitted by the ICN coupon or incentive processing server to the POS terminal.

46. The method as in claim 45, wherein the target universal product code corresponds to a product that the trigger universal product code corresponds to.

47. The method as in claim 46, wherein the target universal product code corresponds to a product that the trigger universal product code does not corresponds to.

48. The method as in claim 32, wherein the first coupon or incentive related information also comprises a control code obtained by a customer who visits a web site to select from at least one coupon, promotion, or incentive.

49. A computer readable medium storing computer code for processing coupons or incentives across a network, where execution of the computer code by a processor causes the processor to perform action comprising:

receiving, at an ICN server from a terminal via the network, first coupon or incentive related information including universal product code information of an item to be purchased at the terminal, where the first coupon or incentive related information is scanned at the terminal located at a retail store, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store and the ICN server is configured to receive first coupon or incentive related information from a plurality of terminals;

interpreting, and comparing the first coupon or incentive related information at the ICN server;

validating the first coupon or incentive related information based on the interpreting, and comparing and based at least in part on the universal product code information;

in response to validating the first coupon or incentive code, retrieving coupon or incentive codes and any corresponding target universal product codes triggered by the validation of the first coupon or incentive code from a centralized database; and

transmitting the retrieved coupon or incentive codes to the terminal via the network.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49, the actions further comprising notifying the coupon or incentive processing server of successful coupon or incentive redemptions.

51. A point of sale (POS) terminal located at a retail store comprising:

a first interface configured to scan coupon or incentive related information and to scan product code information of an item to be purchased;

a second interface configured to receive information from and transmit information to a retailer server, where the first interface is different from the second interface;

a processor; and

a memory for storing a point of sale bridge software configured to redeem a manufacturer coupon or incentive contained in a promotion request message received through the second interface,

where the promotion request message indicates that a coupon or incentive processing server has validated the manufacturer coupon or incentive,

the processor configured to receive information comprising product code information of an item to be purchased and the coupon related information from the first interface;

to transmit the information through the second interface to the coupon or incentive processing server, where the coupon or incentive processing server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to the coupon or incentive related information being validated at the coupon or incentive processing server based at least in part on the product code information, to receive the promotion request message; and

to execute the point of sale bridge software.

52. The point of sale terminal as in claim 51, wherein the first interface is configured to communicate with a universal product code reading device.

53. An Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server comprising:

a processor;

an interface configured to permit communications over a network to a plurality of POS terminals; and

an ICN database,

wherein the processor of the ICN server is configured to receive data elements through a network from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a retailer for validation and redemption, the data elements including product code information of an item to be purchased at the POS terminal and a promotion request message, where the promotion request message is scanned at the POS terminal located at a retail store, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store, to validate the promotion request message based at least in part on the product code information, and, in response to validating the data elements at the ICN server, to send a promotion request response message that indicates whether the promotion request message has been validated.

54. A method comprising:

receiving, at an intelligent clearing network (ICN) server, a first message from a point-of-sale terminal via a network, where the first message comprises a unique account number and product code information of an item to be purchased at the POS terminal, where the unique account number is scanned at the POS terminal located at a retail store, where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store;

in response to receiving the first message, determining, at the ICN server, whether at least one coupon code is assigned to the unique account number, where a coupon code comprises a first portion and a second portion;

in response to determining that the at least one coupon code is assigned to the unique account number, validating the at least one coupon code based at least in part on the product code information and transmitting, from the ICN server, a second message to the point-of-sale terminal via the network, the second message comprising the first portion of each of the at least one coupon code assigned to the unique account number;

in response to transmitting the second message, receiving, at the ICN server, a third message, from the point-of-sale terminal via the network, the third message indicating which of the at least one coupon code was redeemed at the point-of-sale terminal; and

transmitting, from the ICN server, a fourth message to a manufacturer, the fourth message comprising the second portion of at least one coupon code that was redeemed.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

receiving an opt-in message comprising the unique account number; and

assigning at least one opted-in coupon code to the unique account number based on the opt-in message.

56. The method of claim 54, further comprising in response to receiving the first message, determining, at the ICN server, whether the unique account number is valid,

where determining whether at least one coupon code is assigned to the unique account number is further in response to determining that the unique account number is valid.

57. A system, comprising:

an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) network;

at least two point-of-sale (POS) terminals;

at least two POS controllers, where each POS controller is configured to communicate with a plurality of the at least two POS terminals; and

an ICN server configured to communicate with the at least two POS controllers,

wherein a POS terminal of the at least two POS terminals is located at a retail store and is configured to scan, at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, first coupon and incentive related information, including universal product code information of an item to be purchased, and to transmit the first coupon and incentive related information at the POS terminal to a POS controller of the at least two POS controllers;

the POS controller is configured to transmit the first coupon and incentive related information to the ICN server via the network where the ICN server is at a location that is remote from the retail store; and

the ICN server is configured to validate the first coupon and incentive related information for redemption based at least in part on the universal product codes of an item to be purchased and, in response to validating the first coupon and incentive related information, to transmit to the POS terminal, via the POS controller, second coupon and incentive related information.