Systems and methods for intelligent coupon distribution, redemption, and tracking

• US 9,965,770 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clipcart Corp.
• Original Assignee: Clipcart Corp.
• Inventors: Mason-Gugenheim, Nancy, Ramirez-Gugenheim, Jessica
• Primary Examiner(s): Sittner, Matthew T
• Application Number:
  US15/419,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein may be directed to the intelligent distribution, redemption, and tracking of coupons. Modernized couponing processes described herein may provide meaningful synergy between three different parties, namely the shopper, the retailer, and the product supplier. For example, while shopping at a retailer, a shopper may use their device to scan a barcode of a product that they wish to purchase. Based on the scanned barcode, relevant coupon offers associated are identified and presented to the shopper on the user device. The shopper may then select one or more coupon offers to be redeemed at the point of sale.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, using an input device of a user device, identifying indicia associated with one or more product;

identifying, using a local computer readable storage or a communications interface of the user device, at least one coupon offer relevant to the product based on the identifying indicia;

displaying, using a display of the user device, an option to select the at least one coupon offer to a user;

receiving the user'"'"'s selection of the displayed at least one coupon offer;

storing, in the local computer readable storage, a plurality of coupon offers selected by the user;

receiving an instruction from the user to recall the stored user selection;

receiving, using the communications interface, an identifier associated with a point-of-sale terminal;

transmitting, using a communications interface, information representing the plurality of coupon offers selected by the user to an enterprise server;

receiving, using the communications interface, a unique redemption code associated with the plurality of coupon offers from the enterprise server; and

providing the unique redemption code to the point-of-sale terminal for redemption of the coupon offers associated with the user selection by displaying a barcode on the display or by using the communications interface, wherein

the redemption code is generated based on the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the redemption code includes a barcode, and the providing includes displaying the barcode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining a location of the user device;

identifying a plurality of retail locations within a predetermined proximity of the user device; and

selecting a point-of-sale terminal associated with a closest of the retail locations.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, using the communication interface, the stored user selection to the enterprise server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting identification information to the enterprise server, wherein the unique redemption code is associated with the identification information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification information includes at least one of an identification information includes a location of the user device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether to generate the unique redemption code based on the location of the user device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification information includes at least one of an identification number associated with a point-of-sale terminal, an identification number associates with an employee operating the point-of-sale terminal, and an identification number associated with a retail store.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by a retailer server associated with the point-of-sale terminal, the unique redemption code to the enterprise server for validation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising authenticating, by the enterprise server, the coupon offers during a transaction at the point-of-sale terminal.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting identification information to the enterprise server, wherein

the unique redemption code is associated with the identification information, and

the authenticating includes determining whether to authorize the transaction based on an analysis of received information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step includes transmitting the identifying indicia to the enterprise server.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing, at the enterprise server, product information associated with the identifying indicia to track coupon offers associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing targeted coupon offers based on aggregated coupon offers associated with the user.

15. A user device, comprising:

an input device configured to detect identifying indicia of one or more products;

a communications interface configured to;

receive at least one coupon offer relevant to the identified indicia, and

receive an identifier associated with a point-of-sale terminal;

a display configured to display, in response to the communications interface receiving the at least one coupon offer, an option to select the at least one coupon offer to a user;

a computer readable storage configured to store a plurality of coupon offers selected by the user; and

a processor configured to;

receive an instruction from the user to recall the stored user selection from the computer readable storage,

cause the communications interface to transmit information representing the plurality of coupon offers selected by the user to an enterprise server, and

in response to receiving a unique redemption code associated with the plurality of coupon offers from the enterprise server, provide the unique redemption code to the point-of-sale terminal for redemption of the coupon offers associated with the user selection by displaying a barcode on the display or by using the communications interface, wherein

the redemption code is generated based on the identifier.

16. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured provide the redemption code to the point-of-sale terminal by displaying the barcode on the display.

17. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to provide the redemption code to the point-of-sale terminal using the communications interface.

18. The user device of claim 15, further comprising a location determination interface configured to determine a location of the user device, wherein the processor is configured to use the location determination interface to identify a point-of-sale terminal of a plurality of retail locations within a predetermined proximity of the user device.

19. The user device of claim 15, wherein the input device includes a camera.

20. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to compare the identified indicia to information of a database that includes information associated with a coupon offer relevant to the associated product.

21. The user device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to cause the communications interface to transmit the stored user selection to the enterprise server.