Retail system for selling products based on a flexible product description
First Claim
1. An apparatus for redemption processing, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication port configured toreceive a redemption identifier from a customer device via a communication network, the redemption identifier including encoded information; and
a processor coupled to the communication port, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the processor toautomatically decode the encoded information in response to receiving the redemption identifier, wherein decoding the encoded information produces redemption information related to a request to redeem a product or service and an indication of a retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service;
automatically query a redemption database to locate a corresponding record in the redemption database, wherein the corresponding record in the redemption database identifies a location of the retailer and a redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service;
automatically analyze whether the redemption identifier comprises a validated redemption identifier based at least in part on a comparison of a location identified in the redemption information with the location of the retailer identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, and a comparison of an operative time identified in the redemption information with the redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service, wherein the redemption time is identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, andautomatically generate an indication of the determined validity, wherein the indication of the determined validity authorizes the retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service to accept the redemption identifier as payment for at least a portion of a purchase price of a product or service in an instance in which the indication of the determined validity indicates that the redemption identifier is valid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one described embodiment, a method is provided in which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated with (i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant.
217 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for redemption processing, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication port configured to receive a redemption identifier from a customer device via a communication network, the redemption identifier including encoded information; and a processor coupled to the communication port, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the processor to automatically decode the encoded information in response to receiving the redemption identifier, wherein decoding the encoded information produces redemption information related to a request to redeem a product or service and an indication of a retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service; automatically query a redemption database to locate a corresponding record in the redemption database, wherein the corresponding record in the redemption database identifies a location of the retailer and a redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service; automatically analyze whether the redemption identifier comprises a validated redemption identifier based at least in part on a comparison of a location identified in the redemption information with the location of the retailer identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, and a comparison of an operative time identified in the redemption information with the redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service, wherein the redemption time is identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, and automatically generate an indication of the determined validity, wherein the indication of the determined validity authorizes the retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service to accept the redemption identifier as payment for at least a portion of a purchase price of a product or service in an instance in which the indication of the determined validity indicates that the redemption identifier is valid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for redemption processing comprising:
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receiving, by a communication port, an indication of a redemption identifier from a customer device via a communication network, the redemption identifier including encoded information; automatically decoding, by a processor, the encoded information in response to receiving the redemption identifier, wherein decoding the encoded information produces redemption information related to a request to redeem a product or service and an indication of a retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service; automatically querying, by the processor, a redemption database to locate a corresponding record in the redemption database, wherein the corresponding record in the redemption database identifies a location of the retailer and a redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service; automatically analyzing, by the processor, whether the redemption identifier comprises a validated redemption identifier based at least in part on a comparison of a location identified in the redemption information with the location of the retailer identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, and a comparison of an operative time identified in the redemption information with the redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service, wherein the redemption time is identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database; and automatically generating, by the processor, an indication of the determined validity, wherein the indication of the determined validity authorizes the retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service to accept the redemption identifier as payment for at least a portion of a purchase price of a product or service in an instance in which the indication of the determined validity indicates that the redemption identifier is valid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for redemption processing comprising:
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means for receiving an indication of a redemption identifier from a customer device via a communication network, the redemption identifier including encoded information; means for automatically decoding the encoded information in response to receiving the redemption identifier, wherein decoding the encoded information produces redemption information related to a request to redeem a product or service and an indication of a retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service; means for automatically querying a redemption database to locate a corresponding record in the redemption database, wherein the corresponding record in the redemption database identifies a location of the retailer and a redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service; means for automatically analyzing whether the redemption identifier comprises a validated redemption identifier based at least in part on a comparison of a location identified in the redemption information with the location of the retailer identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database, and a comparison of an operative time identified in the redemption information with the redemption time at which the retailer received the request to redeem the product or service, wherein the redemption time is identified by the corresponding record in the redemption database; and means for automatically generating an indication of the determined validity, wherein the indication of the determined validity authorizes the retailer that received the request to redeem the product or service to accept the redemption identifier as payment for at least a portion of a purchase price of a product or service in an instance in which the indication of the determined validity indicates that the redemption identifier is valid. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification