Consumer loyalty system and method with centralized processing
First Claim
1. A system for rewarding consumer loyalty and providing business information to consumers, comprising:
- a central subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web comprising,a central database containing business information and consumer information;
a database service application in communication with said central database for managing said central database;
a consumer web application in communication with said database service application for allowing said consumer access to said central database; and
a business web application in communication with said database service application for allowing a participating business access to said central database;
at least one business subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web comprising,a business server containing a business server software application in communication with said central database via said database service application and said business server software application capable of storing a registered consumer'"'"'s transaction data, wherein said transaction data may be periodically communicated to said central database via said database service application; and
an information exchange unit in communication with said business server by a business server interface; and
a personal information device capable of communicating with said information exchange unit by a first communication means, wherein said personal information device contains only a unique personal identifier that is communicated to said information exchange unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a method and a system for storing and communicating information between a consumer and proprietor, enabling the proprietor to build a database of consumer information and enabling the consumer to build a database of information from businesses participating in the system of the present invention. The invention enables the proprietor to analyze consumer habits and communicate incentives and rewards to specific consumers. Consumers utilize a handheld personal information device to store a unique personal identifier. The personal information device transmits the unique personal identifier to, and may receive information from, an information exchange unit upon entry of the consumer into a participating place of business. Consumer personal information and transaction data are recorded and stored in a secure central database. The business proprietor establishes reward criteria specific to his business to reward consumer loyalty and may analyze consumer shopping habits, demographic information, and geographic information.
54 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for rewarding consumer loyalty and providing business information to consumers, comprising:
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a central subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web comprising, a central database containing business information and consumer information; a database service application in communication with said central database for managing said central database; a consumer web application in communication with said database service application for allowing said consumer access to said central database; and a business web application in communication with said database service application for allowing a participating business access to said central database; at least one business subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web comprising, a business server containing a business server software application in communication with said central database via said database service application and said business server software application capable of storing a registered consumer'"'"'s transaction data, wherein said transaction data may be periodically communicated to said central database via said database service application; and an information exchange unit in communication with said business server by a business server interface; and a personal information device capable of communicating with said information exchange unit by a first communication means, wherein said personal information device contains only a unique personal identifier that is communicated to said information exchange unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for rewarding consumer loyalty and providing business information to consumers, comprising the steps of:
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providing a central subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web, said central subsystem comprising a central database; providing at least one business subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web; storing business information desired to be presented to said consumer, consumer reward criteria and consumer incentive criteria on said central database; providing to said consumers at least one personal information device communicable with said business subsystem by a first communication means, each of said at least one personal information devices storing a unique personal identifier; presenting said at least one personal information device at a place of business for logging a consumer transaction in said business subsystem; communicating said unique personal identifier and transaction data from said business subsystem to said central database of said central subsystem; analyzing said consumer transaction data stored on said central database to produce a listing containing the identification of consumers meeting said reward criteria and said incentive criteria; and communicating said list of consumers meeting said reward criteria and said incentive criteria to said business subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for rewarding consumer loyalty and providing business information to consumers, comprising the steps of:
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providing a central subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web, said central subsystem comprising a central database in communication with and managed by a database service application, a business web application in communication with said database service application for allowing a participating business access to said central database, and a consumer web application in communication with said database service application for allowing said consumer access to said central database; providing at least one business subsystem in communication with the World Wide Web, said business subsystem comprising a business server containing a business server software application in communication with said central database via said database service application and said business server software application capable of storing consumer transaction data, and an information exchange unit in communication with said business server by a business server interface; storing business information desired to be presented to said consumer, consumer reward criteria and consumer incentive criteria on said central database; providing to said consumers at least one personal information device communicable with said information exchange unit by a first communication means, each of said at least one personal information devices storing a unique personal identifier; presenting said personal information device at a place of business of a participating business for logging a consumer transaction; communicating said unique personal identifier and transaction data to said business server software application on said business server; communicating said unique personal identifier and transaction data from said business server to said central database of said central subsystem; analyzing said consumer transaction data stored on said central database to produce a listing containing the identification of consumers meeting said reward criteria and said incentive criteria; and communicating said list of consumers meeting said reward criteria and said incentive criteria to said participating business. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification